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Golden Gleanings, 



COMPRISING 



POEMS AND PILOSE EXTRACTS 



FROM 



THE WRITINGS 



y 



/ 



Mf S. NEWCOMER 




I EUAR K.M'IUS. IOWA: 

IIAILV KKl'DKLItAN I'RINTINl, AND BINDINO HOUhR. 
1891. 



.<::> 






COPYRIGHT, Ibigi, 

By M. S. newcomer. 



"^peface. b- 



yfT IS not without soiuo misiriviiiixs that the author launches 



this hunihU' little vohinie upon the tumultuous sea of the 
'^X, capricious literary world. Sensibly conscious of its many 
defects; fully aware of its failure to satisfy the higher poetical 
thirst of quickened, cultured genius; he nevertheless cherishes 
the fond hope that fiiend and critic may here find some wheat, 
gleaned from the white harvest-Held of thought. It is easier 
to criticise than improve what is criticised. Right or wrong, 
this circling swarm of hungry eagles shall not deter the author 
from giving this little book to the rapacity of censorship and 
the warm friendship of holy afi'ection. 

"To these young tyrants, by themselves misplaced, 
Combined usurpers on the throne of taste; 
To these, when authors bend in humble awe, 
And hail their voice as truth, their word as law; 
While these are censors, 'twould be sin to spare; 
AVhile such are critics, why should I forbear^ 
Hut yet, so near all modern worthies run, 
'Tis doul)tful whom to seek or whom to shun; 
Nor know we when to spare, or when to strike. 
Our l)ards ;ind censors are so much alike." 

(Joi.DKN (Jlkamn(;s have l)een gathered from thirtv vears 
of a bus)' life. Twenty rive years of that time have been spent 
in the active work of the ihristian ministry, and we can there- 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



fore affirm candidly and conscientiously that many of the 
poems found in this volume are more than ''paper bullets of the 
brain;" they are the birth throes of a heart, wrung with sad- 
ness, burdened with indignation, or leaping with joyful exul- 
tation. 

The poetry relating to the great war of the lie))ellion 
must be read under the mellowing, transforming light of a pro- 
gressive christian civilization. We now live in the ''jyolden 
age" of forgiveness and pardon, and the poems relating to that 
dark period are inserted not ''To nurse our wrath, to keep it 
warm," but rather to contrast these relics of hate and invective 
with the present grander and nobler impulses of American citi- 
zenship. 

We have but one country and one Hag. Demagogues and 
politicians persist in marking out sectional lines, but patriots 
know no more distinctively of a North and South, than the Sun 
shining in his strength I 

Hoping that hearts may l)e comforted, and lives bright- 
ened, by the following pages, we commend the book to the fos- 
tering care of the Good Father, and the loving tenderness of 
cherished friends. 

THE AUTHOE. 

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 
March 12th, 1801. 



"^pel^de. gf- 



Heside the doorway, picking truant crumbs, 

A cliir})in£r l)ird is moving restlessly. 
With shaded eye. alert while dinner comes. 

Seasoning appetite with lil)erty: 
Abstemious to a fault with homely fare, 

Its largess'd freedom grows exceeding wide, 
When brainless winsjs are fanning foreign air. 

In search of food wdiich other hands supplied. 

Tngrudginii:!}' the generous host doth tling 

Tlic minute morsels, o'er the napkins spread. 
(Jhid that llicsc crumbs will paint a lustrous wing. 

Or warm some heart, beside a nestling headi 
So, meagre as our dainty meal may be. 

Perhaps some fainting dreamer here may tind. 
Some broken bread, beside the vast dark sea, — 

Some ant'hor cast within the depths of mind! 

Like birds we gU>an, lest life should el)b tiway, 

And manhood quench its torch in Lethe's spring, 
'I'he skies grow starless in the golden <lay, 

And Nature's myriad tongues forget to sing, 
Beneath the Mowers where our visions lie 

Like mouhrring relics of the vivid past, 
\\\' chain these mentors, ere they fad(^ and die. 

And grave then- image on each passing l)last. 

The infant world, asleep in nursling arms. 

Ne'er wakes to kiss the smile of rosy liglit. 

Until high-noon absorbs the matin charms 

That fringe the veil of each de)>arling night; 

So, slow to learn, our sluggish blood is cold, 
Noi' does it warm the temjiles of our art, 

lentil the cucli's of our lite unfold 

The healtii that strui:<j;l('d in the narrow heart. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS, 



We be.'it these prison wjills with bleeding hands, 

And list to mocking echoes through the night, 
Jjiiilding the dreams, which Fanc}'^ voice demands. 

Soon smitten dead, by hickless rays of light; 
AVe lift the dull and awful heights of thought. 

Across our path, like mountains cold and bare, 
While the warm vales, neglected and unsought, 

Lie wrapp'd in sleeping beauty, green and fair. 

We need to learn that odorous tlowers bhnitl 

Their sweet perfume in fragrant rivalry. 
While l»urden\l l)reezes joyfully attentl 

Their honeymoon, and I'ndless ministr3^ 
Love thrills each harp when pulseless hands are cold. 

Like trailing ivy, clasping senseless clay. 
Evoking music which no heart can hold, 

Nor quivering tongue of tire sing away! 

Good frowns in rugged granite from the mount, 

Or smiles in limpid wavelets by the sea, — 
Time is the span (lod gives to count 

These jewels, polished for eternity; 
But if, instead, like scavengers we glean 

And glut our malice with putrescent slime, 
What blasted harvests, withered by our spleen. 

Will cast their fruitage in the lap of time. 

A brother's help is but a brother's parti 

Since light and rain from out our Father's haml 
Fall where the hidden rose-buds burst and start. 

To shame less modest beauty, stern and grand. 
Like shrinking crocus, warmVl l\y the Spring's breath. 

We love the charity of kindly skies, — 
The singing brooks which chant the AVinter's death, 

The melting tears, from Heaven's weeping eyes! 



\l/ap Lypi^?. 



THE FALL OF SUMTFK, ISOL^- 

Wavcl glorious Stars, iiiiinortal stripes, 
Proud emblem of the naticm's birth. 

For everv star ten thousand hearts 

Throl) anxious to defend their hearth. 

Wave! glorious ensigfn of the brave. 
We will not cringe at traitors' feet, 

This is the Hag our fathers gave. 
And let it l)e our winding sheet! 

Wave! starry symbol of the free. 

No traitor's arm shall tear thee down. 

But all thy foes on land or sea 

Will fall before the nation's frown. 

Wave! beacon light and standard sheet. 
Responsive to thy holy cause. 

We come to strike a sure defeat. 
To rebels who insult our laws. 

Wave! nol)le Hag though Sumter fell 
The tott'ring shaft shall l)e replaced. 

And Freedom's tongue will (|ui(l\ly tell 
That Freedom's shrine is not defaced. 



*Tlie vear when writlc-n 



G OL DEN GL EA X/XGS. 



Wnvel s;uTO(l type of Liberty, 

A million hearts shall be th}' shield, 

And ey'iy traitor horde must Hee, 
Or die upon the crimson field. 

W ave! banner of heroie deeds, 

AVhere now repose the good and great. 
And though our country mourns and bleeds. 

Lt4 traitovfi iae<t f/n- traltor^s fate! 



OUR COUNTRY'S CALL, 186L 

Swift as the lightning's midnight glare, 
An apathetic nation starts, 
While sons and fathers rudely tear 
Away from ev'ry hind'ring care, 
To form a wall of hearts! 

Already has the strife begun 
On Maryland's verdant shore, 
The precious blood that freely run 
Along the plains of Lexington, 
Must crimson Baltimore. 

We shield the boon our fathers gave, 
The tow'ring shrine of Liberty. 
How can we basely act the slave;! 
In terror of the martjr's grave, 
While sturd}' arms are free. 

From granite hills and mountain-glen. 
From rivers, lakes, and surging sea. 
We hear the mighty tramp again. 
Of valiant, lion-heaited men, 
To battle for the free. 



aOLDE^V GLEAXINCS. 



The fiery youth aiul nintion irriiy 
Inipnlsively the cuisc sustain. 
\N'hih> Ueauty's voice, forever ir:iy, 
liids h>v'(i a(U)rers haste away, 
\\'ith joy. instead of pain. 



COLUMT.IA FOKEVKK, 18(i-2. 

Let Switzerhuid l)oast of her hohl and free mountains. 

And linger to lisp the sweet praises of Tell; 
How liberty smiles u})on her l)right fountains. 

And kisses each hillside and flowery dcU; 
Yet where the western sun, gilds th(> land of Washington, 

Land of the noble brave, and home of the free; 
Dearer is thy soil by far. though cover'd l)y man}' a sear, 

Than king-craft's })r()ud and gaudy pajieantry. 

Let England gloat o'er the war-i)ath of nations. 

And worship the flag of the pirate and foe, 
Colund)ia is watching her base machinations; — 

While Ireland's Shamrock droops scar at the l)low. 
Brightly glow om- holy stars, as if praying that our wars. 

Might unite us once more by our sacred endeavor; 
Pure as our gushing rills, — firm as the eternal hills. 

The pride of the free, fair Columbia forever. 

In vain the l)ase cohorts of treason assend)le 

To strike the fair temple of liberty down. 
When o'er the Itlue waves, foul dynasties tremble; 

As lit by the stars of Columbia's crown! 
.Saved 1>3' blood and toil, this our consecrated soil. 

Must ever remain, while mountains endure; 
Home of the good and brave, — refuge of the liclplcss slave. 

The beacon of Freedom, proud, safe and secure. 



10 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



HAIL FREEDOMVS DAWN. 1868. 

The dumb shall speak! 
Rise up, ye everlasting hills! 
Sing joyfully, ye leaping rills; 
Sound the glad news from glen and vale, 
A righteous God makes t\^rants quail. 

And saves the weak! 

Oh! what are we! 
That justice, mock'd l\y bloody chains. 
Should bear so long, these guilty stains, — 
The whips and blows of tyi'ant knaves. 
The screams and cries of tortured shtves, 

1)0 rn to be free! 

O, Father! hear 
The countless prayers that humbly rise 
From fetterM tongues and weeping eyes;- 
Let Thy just wrath be lurnM away. 
And mercy touch the lips of clay 

With tremblino^ fear! 



EPITAPH OF JEFFERSON DAVIS, 1803. 

Oh, shade of Davis! art thou still the same^ 
Must foes assist to gild thyself a name. 
And dull Pegasus add its epic page. 
To set the crimes of thy ebullient rage^ 
Must Reason, Satire, Wit, and Virtue strike. 
With cutting falchion and unbroken pike. 
While minions cry beneath thy tragic rule, 
And <lespots dub thee, puppet, slave, and fool^ 
Go onward! in thy dark and bloody trai-k, 
Thy servile vassals cannot call thee back, 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS, \\ 



Yet hurl nionacos at thy di/zy head, 

And execrate the stone that proniis'd broad! 

Hark! still avo hear the rushing of the flood,— 

The orgies of thy carnival of blood. 

The yelling demons, mock thy wrath and groans, 

As earth receives the malefactor's bones! 

Doom'd like a cut-throat to his narrow cave, — 

Hell builds its castles round his l)loody grave — 

p]arth rocks and trembles as the tyrant dies, — 

I)lo()(l stain the shades that flicker o'er the skies. 

Fiends howl, and niaddenM, bite the worthless (hist, 

Thtit hide tlieii' kindred spirits wiflicrM crust, 

\Vliile heaven smiles, ;md the gicen earth is gay, 

(xlad to get rid of Satan's surest prey I 

Thou crownless prince! and still unsceptcrM king, 

Once thou wert bold. l)ut now an al)ject thing! 

A storm as deadly as the Siroc's blast 

\Vill hurl thy nauie, forgetful to the past, — 

Strike down the oracle that thou hast Ixiilt. — 

And gorii't' a world of devils on lh\' uuilt! 



TEAR DOWN THK FLA(J. isci. 

(The war for the Union was \oted a failure l»y a great 
National Convention held at Chicago. 111., during the summer 
of 1^(;4.) 

T(>ar down the tlag! 
Though inoistenM by the nation's tears. 
In darker storms and darker years, — 
Must it succumb to dastard fears^ 

Tear down the flag! 
Wipe out the crimson stain that mars. 
Its blazon'd stripes and jt^welTd stars, — 
And give us Treason's bloody bars. 
Tear down the flag;! 



I'J COLDkN CLEANINGS. 



Tear down the flag! 
All bullet-torn, and battle-riven. 
No more in pride it shall be given, 
To ev'ry l)reath of Freedom's heaven, 

Tear down the flag! 
Though once oui- cherished boast of fame. 
Its proudest glory mends in shame. 
And will we still adore its name^ 

Tear down the flag';? 

Tear down the flag! 
The flag our mothers wept to see. 
As o'er the smile of infancy 
It wav'd. — the soul of Lihei'ly, 

Tear down the flag! 
Its beaming stars no more shiill shed 
Thf^ir Instre o'er the infant head, — 
Nor add a title to the dead. 

Tear down the flag! 

Tear down the flag! 
r>y ev'ry wound andev'rj^ sigh, 
By ev'ry death-delighted eye. 
By ev'ry heart, that yet must die. 

Tear down the flag! 
No! never while a star remains! 
A stripe to flaunt its gory stains, — 
Or sun shines o'er the hill;^ iind plains, 

It shall not he! 



PEACE, ISC-I. 



Return. Ihou Dove of peace, return, 
Bind up the nation's scars. 

And give us but the dear old flag, 
Columbia's blazing stars! 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 13 



Unite our sever'd land once more. 

Dispel this deathlike ixloom, — 
Malce Frcedonrs shroud her l)ri(Ud robe. 

Her heaven, Treason's tomb! 

Drive these dark shadows from our sky. 

Exalt a prostrate land, 
AVreathe her proud flag with victory. 

Kiss thou Our bleeding hand; 
Pluck not a siugle stripe away. 

liut let all float on high. 
The flashing coronet of stars. 

Bright image of the sky. 

Oh! spread th}^ dewy wings of love 

OVr all this blood and strife. 
Smile gently on the Nation s tears. 

And bless her ransom'd life. 
Call home our lovVl ones from the Held, 

Where they have nobly fought, — 
Let treason kneel at Freedom's shrine. 

By blood and valor boui>ht. 



THE BATTLE OF FRANKLIN, 1864. 

''Forward!'' cried the rebel chieftain. 

"To the dark Ohio's waters.- — 
Brightly gleam your Northern laurels, 

Twin'd by Treason's fairest daughters; 
Onward! legions of the brave! 
Who would be a crinorinir slave! 



14 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



(Tive us vict'ry or the grave! 

Strike for separation: — '" 
Like the whirlwind's kjudest fury, 

Hurling death along its path, 
Came the jjlist'ninii" lines of traitors. 

Yelling curses full of wrath; 
But they met a noble band. — 
Pride of Freedom's holy land, 
Who broke forth in chorus. grand! 

''(tocI will save the nation!'" 

Then the crash of struggling foemen, 

Shook the hills as clouds are riven, 
When the storm-king rides the tempest. 

Lit by the red bolts of heaven! 
Louder still the charges swell, 
To and fro they rose and fell. 
Like th(> lava waves of hell! 

Came the booming thimder! 
While in vain the surging billows 

Heat against those lines of steel. 
Which like lightning Hashes greeting, 

IIurlM them back to bleed and reel! 
Then the star-lit Hag on high 
Flapp'd its folds against the sky! 
And each weary pensive eye 

(irew bright with wonder! 

Fiercer o-rew the storm of battle. 

Bursts as fearful earth(juakes roar, 

SuriiinG:. seething, bleedin<»; masses, 
Writhe and welter in their gore; 

Arm to arm! they would not quail. 

Thouo'h dark storms of iron hail 

^lingled with each dying wail, — 
Blue and gray contending! 



GO/j)/:\ iiJ./-:A\iX(.;s. 15 



ScuttcrM as the leaves of luituinn, 

Flyinjx liorse and clashing stocl. 
KoaiM, IhiHulerM, in their clamor 

For the nntion"?; woe or weal; 
Then the dense, sul[)liureons jsniokc 
O'er the hilltops tied and broke, 
As the cannon's red lips spoke, — 

Xijxht and vict'rv blcndinji'I 



THE DKATII OF lilKNEY. 

Roll him in his \s inding sheet, 
Wra}) the stars aljout his feet, 
Lay him in the silent grave;, 
Chant the requiem of the brave, 
Phuk one star from heaven's l>and. 
Cover its light with shifting sand,- 
Tear one pillar from the dome 
Of fair Freedom's only home. 

This thy tragic work, O, Death! 
This the fell destroyer's breath. 
Shade of Hirney! o'er thy tomb 

Sits entiiron'd a nation's gloom. 

Hero martyri 'tis of thee. 
Fairest Hower of lii>erty, 
That we sing in sim[)le strains. 
Of thy weary work and pains. 
How thy gallant heart awoke, 
'Midst the l>attle's din and smoke, 
\\'luMi thy men lay thick as leaves. 
Or the reaper's scatter'd sheaves; 



16 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Then thy cold and flashing steel, 
Gathering strength with ev'ry peal, 
Pointed to the stubborn foe, 
Aimed and wrouijht the crushing l)low. 



Like an eagle in his flight, 
Poising in the quiv'ring light. 
Or the lion in retreat. 
Snatching vict'ry from defeat; 
This was Birney! can it be 
That Ave shall no longer see 
His bold heart and flashing eye, 
Lead his boys to dare or die? 

Silence! O grave, be still, 
Freedom mourns and Treason will; 
Furl his loved and beacon stars, 
What cares he for ])1()0(1 or wars? 
Close his dim and sightless eye, — 
Glory gave him strength to die. 
Fold his arms to peaceful sleep, 
Give the grave his dust to keep. 



DIRGE ON LINCOLN. 1865. 

Thy work is done I 
Rest from thy labors now, — 
Angela shall wreathe thy brow; 
Deep in thy grave of honor, sleep, 
A startled world has deign'd to weep 

For Freedom's son! 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 17 



The niaityr dies! 
Oh (lodi 'tis hard to say 
"Thy will he (k)iu''* this dtiy; 
lUit, 'iioath the sha(h)\v of Thy throne 
^^'e pour hetiits into Thine own I 

^^'ith weeping eyes. 

In silent awe! 
We stand I)eside this bier, 
The Nation's heart breaks here I 
l)Mt from the rifted eiouds, tlu; light 
Breaks like the morn upon our sight, 

God's holy law! 

In Thee we trust! 
O Father! be Thou near! 
To calm our rising fear; 
Stretch out Thy sce})ter o'er this land 
And hold this people in Thy hand, 

Since man is dust! 



rilb: IMMORTAL DAHLGKEN. 

UKINCi THE war, C'ol. Ulric Dahlgrcn, the son of Hear 
Admiral Dahlgrcn, was killed l)y the Confederates near 
Richmond, while leading an expedition designed for 
the rescue of Union prisoners. He was a brave young man, of 
tine promise and excellent traits of character. TIk^ author 
wrote a poem on his tragical death, and sent it to the bereaved 
fatlu'r. In answia- he received the following touching letter: 

Wa811in(;ton, Gth of April, 1864. 
Mr. M. S. Newcomer: 

My Dear Sir — Accept my grateful thanks for your trili- 
ute to the memory of my gallant son. Be assured he well de- 



18 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



served all that can be said of him. Looking ovor the whole 
record of his life, I see nothing to mar or blemish its perfect 
lustre. He never disobeyed my slightest wish — never was 
guilty of the least approach to a mean act. He was gentle as 
a girl, generous without guile and without fear, a man amonir 
men, — thorouijhlv educated, tall and of o:racefuI address. His 
extreme youth — twenty-one years and eleven months — high 
rank, won by service on many a battle field, splendid courage, 
and high nol)le nature won him the true love of all. So mod- 
est that most of his deeds 1 learned from others, he blended a 
deep sense of a future life with the present. 

When sufiering keen agt)ny from the loss of a limb in l)at- 
tle, and reminded of possible results, he replied, "-that he never 
went into battle without askini? forc:iveness of his sins and 
mercy of his (Jod.'' For such, death had no terror. With 
sublime })urp()se he faced the peril of his hist undertaking, — to 
free the weary captive comrade from the dungeons of Rich 
mond. 

Peace to his noble heart! He fell where a soldier should 
fall — at the head of his men — and the traitors that never faced 
him with impunity when alive, feel safe in desecrating his pre- 
cious remains. 

With many thanks for your kindness. 
Most truly yours, 

Jno. a. Dahlgken, 

R. Admiral. 

Admiral Dahlgieii afterwards published the Meaioiks of 
Ulkich Uaiiloken, a copy of which was sent the author, ac- 
companied by a letter from his widow, in which she says: 

"I send you a copy of Memoirs of Ulkk-h 1)ahl(;ren, 
which perhaps you have not seen. In it you will Hnd your 
beautiful poem. 



GOLDEN GLEAX/NGS. 10 



Tlicso Memoirs wcic left hy my lamented husUand in an 
unrinjslied stale, and edited hy me after his death. Hut the 
arrangement of the ^"ehaplet" hy which he gives your poem 
the tirst place, was his own."" 

Firm, with his face to the foe, 

Steady the sword in his hand. 
Stranger to terror or woe — 

Worthy to lead such a band; 
Bravely he met victory, 

SealM with his own precious blood, 
His bold heart died to be free. 

Warmed by its out-gushing Hood. 

Chieftain of Glory! all hail! 

Majesty pales in thy light — 
Despots will stagger and (piail 

To see thee bh^ed for the Right; — 
Freedom will sing of thy name. 

Ages of time yet to be; 
liright are the laurels of fame 

Twining in beauty for thee. 

Time will but add to the tbrill. 

Swelling the popular heart, — 
N'engeance and glory will still 

Hlend with oui- teiu's as they start, 
(Jarlands of roses vveMl twine. 

Softly we'll speak in thine car. 
Home of the brave shall be thine, — 

Liberty weeps at thy bitn! 

Traitors may scoll at thy corse. 

And Hends may howl at thy grave — 

Freedom forgets r.ot its source 

In the warm l)lood of the l)rave, 



20 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Deity smiles upon thee; 

Hercules or Liberty! hail! — 
The stripes avid stars of the free 

Will ne'er grow languid or pale. 

Treason may rave in its lair, 

Mocking the dust of the slain, 
None its dark l)urden to bear 

Save the brute lord of the chain; 
Liberty, sav'dfrom its wrath. 

Will own the soil it has trod, 
Despite the foes in its path. 

To bless its Maker and God! 



COLUMBLV'S PKIDE. 

Up, up, Columbia for the fight. 
And gird your armor new and bright. 
That traitors now may feel your might. 

When striking for the free; 
Strike, for your loved and fond desires; 
Strike, for the blood of martyred sires. 
Strike, for your altars and your fires! 

For God, and Liberty! 

From hill to hill the signal tiies. 
That seems to rend the very skies. 
While every sturdy heart replies, 

''The Union evermore." 
Up, from the valley's velvet green, — 
Adown the mountain may be seen. 
The bristling lines in dazzling sheen, 

Courting the battle's roar! 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 21 



Let ci-.-ucn spirits liccd tlir cry. 

I'liMt like a tciiipcst liiiitlos hy, 

And (|uic"k('iis tho bijivo heart lo (li<\ 

In this oiH' riglitoons canso: 
To raise a eoward voice is v\ain, — 
When I'verv dell and every [)lain 
Seems panlinp; to avenii:^ I'h' stain 

Of our insulted laws. 

Lift up our hanner, |)r()udly starrM, 
Fair Freedoufs shrine remains unseai-rM: 
liy heaven kissM, hy hell unmarrM! 

Shall he our holy land. 
The (Jod of Truth shall lead our tiuht. 
F'or righteousness shall gird with might 
The armies, niaishaird for the llight. 

\N'ho for the Nation stand 



UNDER THE SOD. 



^A I'OKM FOK DKCOKATION DAY I 

Under the sodi under the sod! 
The wearers of blue and gray, 
Minglini; their dust where the ijrecn jirass w(nive 
That nobler garb than a ehaplet of leaves. 
The charity sprung from the sightless heail. 
The loving embrace of brothers when dead! 
O, that the living might i)ut away 
The hatred to brother man to-day. 

Under th(> sod! under the sod! 

Under the sod! under the sod! 
Torn by sabre, shot and shell. 
The mangled image of God lies here. 
Ulose up the wounds with a sigh and tear! 



22 GOLDEN GLEANIXGS. 



Scatter the roses o'er the ghastly Past, 
Silence the drum and the Inigle blast! 
Let the banner of love dispel 
The scars of Hate with glad farewell. 
Under the sod! under the sod! 

Under the sod! under the sod! 
Kiss'd by the dews from loving skies. 
Our brothers are sleeping peacefully now, 
Where the stars look down from Night's dark brow;- 
O, ye who would war with the living, come! 
Smite if ye will, these helpless and dund*! 
Put out these cold and tireless eyes! 
Strangle the dead with net of lies! 

Under the sod! under the sod! 

Under the sod! under the sod! 
With the fragrant clover above, 
Like a garment clipp'd from fields of light. 
Sprinkled with diamonds, pure and bright. 
Warnrd to life b^- the breath of heaven. 
An emerald robe, for ashes given! 
Here we see the home of the dove. 
The olive branch and balm of love. 

Under the sod! under the sod! 

Under the sod! under the sod! 
We soon will sleep with brothers dead. 
Then witherM tiowers and friendships past 
'Will not warm the tender hands whieli cast; 
Nor wdl a garland wove in a night; 
For Tjife's dark' wrongs, in silence reiiuite. 
No! pardon lifts the living head. 
And warms the heart ere hope hath tied. 

Under the sod! under the sod! 



GOLDEN GLFANINGS. 23 



ruder the sod! under tho sodi 
The hearts that thr()l»l)M witli (inicker l)eat. 
\\'heii the lightning ciuiver'd along the steel, 
And I )ay<>nets seemed to think and feel! 
When theseaniM walls of old Sumter fell 
"N(>ath a storm of shot and hissing shell; 
Then, down the husy tearful str(>et. 
Was hear<l the tramp of eoming feet. 

Under the sod! under the sod! 

Under the sod! under the sod! 
The incense once so freely given, — 
Healed by these stripes of a crimson hue. 
We kiss God's name on the red. wiiite and blue! 
We pray tliat these graves and pleading scars 
May tix the galaxy of our stars! 
Tiien Peace will spell the word. FoKCiiVKN. 
And writ(^ in tears the smile of heaven. 

rntler the sod! unch'r the sod! 



^irT)OPo^s aQcl fatipica 



MISTAKES OF MOSES. 

Good bye, old fogy Moses, youVe played it good and strong, 

But science is a risin', and ye cannot tarry long; 

The ''Hood,'' and •'ribs,"' and ''fish/' which gulped your Jonah 

man, 
Must all be reconstructed on our scientific plan: — 
Your Red Sea, all a' bilin' and foamin' on a swoop, 
Recpiires too nuich confidin' to make the story loop. 
Then Pharaoh goin' under, is too much fish for me. 
My faith just busts a' strainin', a' tr}'!!!' for to see. 

Old Adam in the garden, wilh that woman at his side, 
A keepin' up his honey-moon with his blushin' bride. 
Might all seem kind o' nat'ral, if you'd kept the «nake away, 
But sarpint talk and courtin' don't agree in our day. 
Henceforth we'll keep a' winkin', when ye talk about the "'rib," 
And all our gushin dudes will swear it is a salted fib. 
No woman with the spirit which they have got to-day, 
Could e'er be manufactur'd from a sleepin' bone that way! 

No Moses, though it hurts you, please excuse us if you can. 
We've travell'd through Beer Sheba, and surrounded little Dan, 
We hail from new Chicago, the crowned queen of the lake. 
And in our blof)min' latitude your story will not take. 
We have got away beyond you, by telegraph and steam, 
And its fun to see you psiddlin', to get your 'Ark' up stream. 
For though the earth and history seem agreein' on your tlood. 
We'll write your epitaph the same, in geologic mud. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 26 



We've knocked your ten eonnnandments into the lucak of day. 
And winked around the splinters to see what you would say. 
We've ijone to sea with Noah, without a sail or oai'. 
A trustin" hard in Pro^ idenee. without a sifjht of shore: 
We've stood alone: witli Samson, and heard his feelin' })rayer. 
And wondered how that temple could feel his o:rowth of hair. 
We've seen the blazin' tire a'fallin' on Sotlom's j^iain. 
But we were like old Abraham, not ventnrin' in the rain! 

^^'e've capturM ancient Jericho, and that without a shout, — 
We've ^one to hell in person, and we'v(^ put the tire out! 
And when these pesky preachers keep a'hlowin' up the coals. 
We wish their tongues were scorehin' where they woidd put 

our souls; 
'Tis true we haven't seen it. but then our word is law. 
Creation links our wisdom with the way our feelin's draw. 
And these will ne'er go u}i stream, agin' 'the nat'ral man. 
Where ev'ry thought of punishment is weighin' on our plan. 

We would rather choose our leaders and treat them as we please. 
Than swelter in the heat below or go above and freeze. 
Its too much like a horse-thief when takin' to the jail. 
Without you axin" his consent or tryin' to get him bail; 
'Tis true, it was his thievin' that i)rought his case to law. 
For had he ne'er l)ecn stealin". the halter would not draw. 
But now, to capture judges, defendants need not lie. 
Since plaintiff turns defendant and proves an ah'bl. 

Yes, Mo-^es, we are livin' right in th(> blazin' light. 

And faith is fossil diggin' to a man who has his sight. 

We never will accept a thing we caiuiot understand, — 

We want to sec your papers givin' power to command. 

You say the forked lightnin' l)laz'd around you on the mount, — 

We've got the blaze domesticated, in jets you cannot count,— 

You say your l)Iess(>(l statutes were carvcil in tlinly stone. 

\N'e've Slot a uooil deal smarter now. It\ lellin" Nours alone! 



26 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



'Tis true, our politicians and our bankers smooth and fine, 
Like wild-ducks flyin' northward, get across the Nation's line, 
But they don't come hack in summer, to build their downy 

nests, — 
I'heir feathers in the other zone, keep warm their freezin' 

I>reasts! 
The lawyers and policemen stand in to cheat the law. 
By quotin' greasy statutes, full of weakness, w^'ong and Haw. — 
We think this bold procession has struck the other shore. 
And that old Court will soon conclude that twice two don't 

make four. 

Farewell to superstition, when that bright day shall dawn! 

Our country lit with glory, will lead the column on. 

And Moses, thou£:h an ancient man, will hide his eyes in tears. 

When he beholds us marchin' through the faith of many 3^ears. 

Then Moses, keep a'lookin', for Ave'er comin', sure as fate, 

And you will hear us knockin', like tramps a'comin' late. 

if 3'ou get up to let us in, we'll pardon all mistakes, 

And swear through all eternity, that Moses holds the stakesi 



^^ (p^^ANATKTSM," cries the demure-looking, dignitied 
-j^^ paragon of society propric^ty, when he snill's the 



pL 



scent of anything new-. He is the faithful thermom- 
eter of public sentiment; he holds up his hands in holy horror 
at some fresh innovation or thrusts them into his breeches- 
pockets in the serene meditation of unequaled disgust. He is 
the' weak, shifting weather-vane, indicating the currents of 
stronger minds, and faithfully giving to others the weak and 
diluted transcript of other brains. Satisfied with the dull and 
monotonous level of his own mediocrity, he affects surprise and 
wdien any one chances to step aside from the beaten }i:ith. 
crowded with the fossilized mossbacks of placid senility! 



GOLDEN GI.F.AX/XGS. 27 



THK BRITISH MARTYK. 

Mr. Stead, editor of (lie Pall Mall (iazette, pimijcMitly ex- 
posed the iu>farious trallie in the virtue of young girls, carried 
on for money among the aristocratic circles of English Fociet}'. 
On a legal technicality he was condemned l)v a British court to 
sufl'er three month's imprisonment. This shameful travesty of 
justice furnishoil the ocension calling forth the following lin(;s: 

Within thy prison, honest Stead, recant! 
Three months witli spiders feeds a holy plant. 
There lordly P.ritons, with the .letVries smirch. 
Condole thee with the wrath of state and church; 
Lookout through bars of kindly rusted stool. 
And know the world consents thy wrongs to feel. 
Brave heart I look udI the sunshine and the storm 
\\'\W rend the clouds with lightnings swift and warm. 

Ah, watchman! o'er th(> gilded haunts of vice. 
Thy })on hath pierced the guilty lordling's })rice. 
And royal purple, stained with bartor'd lives. 
In mockery of painted justice, thrives; 
The titled pigmies, strutting forth as men — 
Like bawling criers, punctured by thy pen. 
Malicious spiders, wriggling in their ])ain. 
Pinned to their lying peerage, howl in vain! 

lirave Censor! Smithlield burns i\\v truth no njorc. 

I>ut prelates swing Gehenna's massive door. 

And to the purgatorial lii-es of state, 

Consign their victims, whether small or great: 

Here cowl and cassock with the ermine blend. 

To crii^ple justice and the wrong defend. 

And sandwiched 'twixt the hireling lord and ))ii<'st — 

Virtue, like swine's flesh, is esteemed the least. 



28 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



With maudlin lies and i)orjur('d ahosts of law. 

And legal wits to uinltiply each flaw. 

The blood of innocence is gravel}' sold. 

To lords and peers for sordid, cankerM gold. 

A pennyworth to each — their stock in trade. 

Is silver lining to the bargains made. 

No higgling over morals quaint and queer, 

For no such phantoms ever enter here. 

The coat of arms, the shield of law and state. 
Will dangle o'er St. Peter s rusted gate, 
And though obscured by pious blots of sin, 
Its heraldry will let the lordlings in; 
No common morals here — 'tis [)lush and gold. 
And prayer books and sermons, mild and old. 
With these to fringe the cindered crust of hell, 
The scions of nobility do well! 

The royal lion lifts at last his ])aw. 
To crush the gnat which stings his hungry maw, 
And strips the mantle from the harem rule. 
Besotted by the lust of slave and tool! 
Imprisoned virtue! dungeons l)ring thee light, 
When whips of tyrants whistle through the night. 
Truth is full oft the child of hoary >A'rong — 
The angel fluttering in the breath of song! 



THE NEW FIRM. 



A devil and an angel came to town, 
Though traveling diti'erent ways; 
The devil had donned a threadbare gown. 
And the sweet angel ceased to frown. 
When he found a devil that })i-ays. 



GOLDEN GLE.IXJXUS. 09 



Toiiother in liiippy converse tliey sat. 

riie devil was stroiving his lieard, — 
^\'hile the aniiel hhindly tippM his hat, 
And listenM as thongh each vvDi'd were pal. 

More to be loved than feared. 

(^uoth the devil, '*Your're an angel of light, 

As sweet as the clover's bloom. 
Your wings are soft, and pearly and white, 
Your face ne'er gathers the i)la(!kness of niffht, 
And your breath is the sweetest perfume. 

I love to ga/.e at your beautiful form. 

My ra})ture I cannot smother; 
Let us seek the rift in our low'ring storm. 
And bask in the light, glowing and warm. 

Sweet angel, let us love one another. 

Won't you l)Iaeken your face; a little you know 

Not a ptiteli of midnight from hell, 
Ah no I good colors come very slow. 
Dear angel, let just a tinge from below 
Your pallor and glitter dispel. 

'I'iien you and I can sit on the fenee. 

Or l)loek up the open ehurch door. 
The people would stand aghast in suspense. 
Not knowing which devil gave most otlense. 

So alike, in the clothes they wore. 

Wv'W enter the elnu'ch and sit in the pew, 
Dress'd gaily, like decorous men. 

And when the Parson, to his calling true. 

Is giving the graceless devils their due. 
We'll shout together, amen! 



30 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



You know sweet angel, 'tis whisky and beer, — 

That the men and devils enjoy, — 
To make our calling and election clear, 
Our ballots must always swim in a tear. 
While Lucifer gives us employ. 

You're from above, and Fm from l)elow. 
Hut now we'll join hands in the play, 
\A'e'll lay strong hands neatli the leaves and the snow, 
And hide in the steaming current of woe, — 
Or we'll kneel in the blood to pray! 

Nay, my sweet angel, no tremor f)r shirk 

Must disturb the angel who prays; 
r>e bold as a lion, while we botlv work, 
And blend the saloon with the old kirk. 
Vox you see my dear angel, h pays! 

The angel broke forth, ''Dear devil I see 
That your color has changed to white. 
You're the sweetest devil, so blithe and free. 
To think you'd talk with an angel like me, — 
Your kindness o'erwhelms me quite. 

I see your foot is something like mine, 

Not cloven like those from below. 
Perhaps if we knew our ancestral line. 
We arc from the same stock, so sturdy and line, 

Evoluted, developed you know! 

Oh yes, dear devil, 1 am one of your tirm. 

If you <leem me worthy to stand, 
And now the bargain, to tix and conliiin. 
So that neither devil or angel can squirm. 
Dear devil, just give me your hand. 



GOLDEN ULEAM\G6. 31 



Now Will- to tlu' knit'o, on tlie pious crew, 

Who weep over homes desolate; 
We l)eh)ni; to the iiulepeiKh'ut few, 
Who can wade through hhxHl or llanie-; tlial ar(> lihie 

Anil yet never lower their state! 

While our lirni is forging the felon's cell. 

We will sing an anthem of praise; — 
Our liallots will sweetly, meekly tell. 
The price of souls in the marts of hell. 

And how much our partnership pays." 

So the devil and angel ruled the old town. 

And so nearly alike were they, — 
The head of each fitted the others crown; 
And 'twould tax a lawyer to say right down, 

When the partners would swear or i)ray! 



^^ 



^, ^ IlIXK OF Paul and llarnabas introducing the gospel at 
\S Yi^ Derhe and Lystra by fixintuj for doJl }>ahle.^ in a hkk'I' 
^ Jish pond! If the church fair is an adjunct of the gos- 
pel, why noti Think of Paul blowing soap bubbles at so much 
a blow, in the name of Jesus Christ! Think of him standing 
on Mars" hill, announcing a necktie-tie party where he would 
kiss the pretty girls at so nuich per smack, all to the glory of 
God! Think of the old man telling Timothy to preach the 
word, and that part of that word was to be sure to have plenty 
of "Weigh })arti(!s," when the weighers would l)e conipelled to 
fork over ten cents per heatl as their avoinUipois, sanctilied 
assessment! When these al)ominations are conunitted in the 
name of our Master, is it any wonder that spirituality decreases? 



3y GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



OUT WEST. 

Hark! 
Over prairie flowers, — 
Ov'er walls and towers, 
A voice coraes breaking on the air; 
Speaking of months nnfed, 
And children asking bread. 
In regions dark; 
Away from schools and church. 
Left in afflicting lurch. 
We see the anxious search 
For rest, 
Out West! 

Look! 
To polishM eyes, })olite, 
It is a grievous sight 
To see the grimy sons of toil 
Throng up the golden slope, 
pjach step a trumpet hope, 

Of heart or book! 
We tarry in the wood. 
Fond of our earthly good, 
While raiment, thought and food. 
Are dress'd. 
Out West! 

Hear! 
The wliistling engine tells, — 
The chime of ringing l)ells. 
What spirit clicks along the wires; 
The very sti-eamlets riui. 
With gold from setting sun, 
And empty here! 



COLDEX CLKAXIXGS. 33 



'Tis time our pride relents, 
Wlien o'er our mountain fenee, — 
Tliey grow our presidents, 

The best, 

Out Wkst! 

Wait: 
Around eaeh eabin shines, 
The fruit of pumpkin vines, 
Yellow as gold in Autumn haze; 

While rustling eorn-lields hend, — 
The ripening harvests blend, 
Broad, full and great; 
lUit harvests grown, — what then^ 
AVhy giants, — might}' men! 
Girded with speeeh or })en, — 
How l)lest. 
Out West! 



^^I^IES, CAKKS, tarts, iee ereani and rice })udding, are in 
^^ the aseendant. The inward man groans, but not over 
^'^ prayer neglected, but rather the pious confectionery of 
fashionable camp meetings. The senses need stinndating, and 
the stomach is gorged with the good things of the earth, which 
are decidedly earthy; and then come cramp colics, dysenteries 
and fevers, which are all piously attributed to "camping out." 
We read, "The whole creation groaneth,'"' and this is regarded 
as but a fultillment of prophecy, and therefore in harmony with 
with Scriptures. Great names are [)lacarded weeks before the 
exhibition with as much fiourish antl pompous extravagance of 
ink as I>arnum\s advertisement of the kSiamese twins, or South 
American seri)ents. The theological acrol)ats prepare them- 
selves for the arena. They snutrihe l)attle afar off. They take 
up the spearor habergeon,and enter the gladiatorial lists. They 

3 



34 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



exhibit their evangelical muscles, and anxiously await the word 
to begin. The people sit as the umpire, watch in hand, ready 
to decide who beats. Each one does his best, but some com- 
plain of favoritism, and the one-sidedness of the newspapers. 
Soon the term of the camp meeting runs out, it may be either 
for want of fashionable provisions, or speakers who will 
"draw," or perhaps both. Some are greatly elated because 
their man l)eat, and others mournfully crest-fallen and wonder 
why camp meetings are not now like they were when they 
were young. The trees of the field clap their hands when the 
farce is ended. They at least will speak for God while whited 
sepulchers will rot. Is not this condition of things most la- 
mental)le^ eJust as soon as we leave the primary object of these 
out-door meetings, there is imminent danger of sul)verting the 
whole desiofu. 



ON HEAKINCi BIRDS SING IN A SALOON. 

Sweet warblers! your busy throats 

Speak to my heart to-day, 
In that place your thrilling notes 

Have something new to say. 
How came ye there'^ was it because, 

Ye would enchant the i)lace 
Where Sin disports our broken laws. 

And paints her ugly face'^ 

Your keeper should feed you bread. 

SnatchM from the poor and blind, 
And each unwash'd and rutHed head, 

A bath of tears should find! 
And if -your plumage is too brown, 

A crimson dye would come, 
From many hearts, all o'er the town, 

Tinged with the streaks of Hum. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



35 



S'niironl and let your music roll 

Out from that filthy den, 
SoniT tunes the death-wail of the soul, 

And chants the diri^e of men! 
Let Mowers hloom ahove the mire. 

Let song its l)eauty tell. 
For each may in their way tispirc 

To gild the way to hell! 

The stifled air within the room 
Seems lurid with the breath 

That issues from that living tomb, 
Ihe 2)olt<o)i^d hutgs of death! 

Here birds ma}' sing away the hours. 
But bleeding hearts will break. 

The serpent hid among the flowers, 
Will .still reinatti a snaka! 



^*^^()IU5IKS to the front of you; hobbies to the rear of you; 

'^inif hobbies to the right of you; hobliies to the left of you; 

-^■^ ^ everywhere — hobbies! 

ll()bl)ies are of two s[)ecies, indigenous and transmigra- 
tor}'. Sometimes liol)bies ar<! in men, sometimes men put 
themselves into tin; hol)bies. Some hobbies attract, others re- 
pel. Some are like comets, more tail than anything else; 
others are like rockets, bursting suddenly into view, then I'uiit- 
ting variegated stars, which go out sinudtaneously, leaving 
darkness. Hobbies are of all sizes, all the; way from a Hy-tra]) 
to the veritable pcu'petual motion. Some are hobl)ies of a phil- 
anthropic turn destined to relie\e lal)()r; othei's are of the indus- 
trial class, calculated to give uninterrupted employment 
to th(^ loquacious tendencies of professional talkers. 
A^'hat millions have lieen spent on hobbie<! \\'lial cares have 
been created, what enmities engeiidereil, what hopes (leferre(| 



36 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



by liobl)ies! They wako yoii at all hours with the stinging 
twitch of the nightmare, and they jump like rabbits from every 
copse in your path. Some have the wings of the t-agle, others 
the stupidity of the snail. Some roar like the king of beasts, 
while others chirp like the linnet. All must be seen to l)e ap- 
preciated. If you cannot enter into the feelings of the hobby, 
you cannot understand it. You must notice every crank, every 
pinion, every cog, every wheel, every strap, or you cannot see 
the philosophy; and philosophy in hobbies is everything. You 
must even see the evolutions of the inventor's brain and faith- 
fully note the scintillating sparks of genius thrown ofl' by that 
wonderful lal)oratory of struggling forces. When you get that 
near a hobby and its eloquent inventor you are inspired with a 
feeling of awe. You wonder how the sublime idea sluml)ered 
so long in the dead past without realization. \Miile contem- 
[)lating the wonderful discovery, the inventor begins to expati- 
ate. You listen attentively. He begins in a low monotone, 
but is soon on the rising inflection. Your interest becomes in- 
tense. Seeing how you like hobbies he becomes encouraged. 
He tells you how he found this hol))>y, crude, homely and 
wounded on the highway; how the thoughtless masses all passed 
unceremoniously by on the other side, and how, in the tender- 
ness of his heart, he took up the stranger, poured oil on his 
wounds, set him on his feet, and fed and petted the liol)l)y, un- 
til now, in reverent gratitude, the hobby is about to feed him! 
He sets every wheel in motion, and your ears buzz with the 
constant whirr. Still he dilates as the momentum increases. 
Adjectives,expletives, and ejaculations by the thousand! Wheels, 
cranks, pinions; pinions, cranks and wheels! Philosophy as- 
tounding, but too much oil! 

How the thing runs! You wonder whether all hobbies 
are so, and whether this one will not soon tiy to pieces. You 
soon tind you did not understand hol)bics, for they are born by 
thousands; they never die. Presently you find that after all 
hobbies are not what they seem. Drenched and doused, and 



C OLDEN GLEANINGS. 3? 



ducked in a vision of lioI)l)ies, you wjindcr away from your tor- 
mentor, liardly knowing whether you are a telephone or a 
jack-knife, with the inventor screaming after you something 
al)out wheels and cranks, and the rest. Out of hearing you 
sit (h)wn and cogitate. Yon look every way, uj) the road 
and down the road, and across the iields, and ever\- man you 
see coming is narrowly watci)ed to se(^ whether he has not some- 
thing und(M' his arm. You go home and think about hol)l>ies. 
you dream about hol)l)ies, and when Sabbath dawns you go to 
church with mortal fear lest your preacher has l)ecome infected 
with the mania of hobbies. 



FAREWKLT., PARSON. 

\\'ell. parson, we have called to-day to l)reak a bit of news, 

An<l working up our courage, fairly gives us all the blues; 

For it won^t be very pleasant, we think, to either one. 

But it's a job we're in for, and so it must be done. 

We're appointed by the church, parson, to tell you what the}' 

say; 
For 3'()u know they had a meetin', just across the way. 
And sing'lar as it may appear, they fought, and fought again 
Across this very subject, parson, and settled it, and then; — 

Well, to tell the truth, parson, our words stick in the throat. 
The hand that hove its l)eams before, now palsies at a mote. 
We see your grey hair, parson, a dangling in the breeze. 
And our blood seems chilly like, as tho 'twere 'bout to freeze. 
We very well reinend)er when, with satchel in your hand. 
You came a walkin' up the road, looking strong and (irand\ 
And when you ])reached your sermon, the school marm and 

her school, 
All came a toddlin' to the front, to say you were no fool. 



38 GOLDEN GLEANINGS, 



It's mighty iiiterestin', parson, to now cnll np the past, 
And how Ave all stuck to yon, through rain, or sun, or blast. 
How many graves you closed, })ars()n, above our children's 

dust, 
And words came struggling through your tears, invitin' us to 

trust; 
And then beside our sick ones, you prayed to help us on, 
Until the clouds were scattered by the commg of the dawn! 
It seems your life is hid, parson, within each throbbing heart. 
And ev'ry ])ulse that quickens us, you surely hel{)ed to start. 

l>utnow the church is strong, ])!irson, not yieldin' to the press; 
You've done your best work here, parson, whether more or 

less. 
We Avould not be unkind, but you know an ancient liroom 
Should yield its corner gracefully, when others want the room. 
AYe want a new broom, parson, to sweep our hearts each week, 
For age seems but a hardenin' your qunlity of cheek; 
And Avhen we would for pleasure, but gloss a, little sin. 
You wake up heaven's thunderbolts, and mildly throw them in. 

We want a younger man, parson, old sermons will not do. 
For polished gush is better, though only h.'df l)e true. 
You know the people nowadays would rather take the foam. 
And leave the truth, like AA'andering Jew, without a settled 

home. 
You've i)een a mighty }')ower, parson, a lift in' of our soids. 
But you see your strength is failin\ and time right onward 

rolls, 
And if you'll just step down, from oil" the ]iu]})it tloor. 
We'll have a younger pulpiteer a knockin' at the doorl 

Your carpets and your furnitui'e are lookin' mighty sad, 
And we're almost asham'd to say they are the best you had. 
But still it is a great relief to see your clothes thread-bare. 
Particularly when we know the}^ lost their gloss in prayer. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 30 



Now, if yoiiM made a fortuno a pioachin' for this church, 
You and your cross wouKI separate, to leave you in the hucli. 
But we have kept you poor, parson, 'twas best to kill your 

pride. 
For faith is k(>j)t a straiiiiiT most to sec the other side! 

V(>s. you iiiiisl jjfo, |)ars(»ii. and you are old and <rray. 
You have cfivcn all your lifed)l()()d to lu^lp us on our way. 
And, now that everything you've got is pretty well-nigh s})enl, 
\\'e'd like to 1)0 after askin' you if you have paid your rent I 
\\v know wc promised long ago to settle this old score, 
15ut we think you will not ask it, as you hold the op(Mi <loor; 
As you go we'd lik(^ to think of you, genei-ous to the last, 
'Twould 1)0 a saintly covering for the record of the past I 



TTIK KXHIIIT OF THE WFFD. 

A\'ith teeth cohn'od and jjrim. 

And lips of a cop])ory hue, — 
A young man sat on thehusy street, 

Lookinjx forlorn and hlue; 

Squirt! squirt I scpiirtl 
Si)att<M-od yellow and pale, — 
He turns his head with a nervous twitch. 

And squirts ;it the head of a nail! 

8(]uirtl s(juirtl sipiirt I 
Alas, for the box or the walk. 
Behold the sallo^\ varnish of death. 

Mixed with the volume of talk. 

(^uids! (|uidsl (piidsl 
Lost in the thi-ong of the busy sli-oot. 
Where, O where arc the human lids 

Vo\- the careless (|ui(ls wc mcet^ 



40 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



With cheeks lioUow and thin, 

Save where tlie quids repose, 
The knight looks up with visage awry, 

And a knowing touch of the nose. 
Chew! eiievv! chew! 
It is bhisphemy, shuig and dirt, 
Oozing in streams from the noxious stew, 

Singing the song of the squirt. 

Work! work! work! 
Jaws, and teeth, and tongue. 

Brewing the sallow slime of death, 
Digjring the graves of the young. 
O, who Avould not be bold! 
To plume the kniglit of the weed, 

Adorn'd with siiining spangles of gold, 
Like na^t'niesH gim< to se>r/.' 

PufT! puff! puff! 
Holding the stem with a grip. 

O, sir, is there not stench enough 
Tainting your ))reath and lip^ 

Will you poison the air 

And blacken another's face^ 
Then ask if we are afraid of smoke. 

When properly seasoned with grace! 

O men, with brains and hands, 

O men, vvith hearts that feel. 
Do you think that we are pickled in smoke. 

Until we have lungs like steel: 
Hpeak! speak! speak! 
If you can hear through clouds of smoke. 

Be quick, or the fountains that reek. 
Will cease their runninjx and ch(>l'<:! 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 41 



SOMETHINCi TO P.ALANCE THE GRIST. 

'Tis proixrcssiiio- nnd dicssiiiij. 
And professing and lilossinir. 

Until the brain reels with a whirl; — 
And wo shake up the saek, 
Ai)out fifty years l)ack. 

Held in ])lace hy a hoy or oiil; 
As down to the mill, 
At the base of the hill. 

The urchin rodcthronorh the mist; 
Singint; all the way long 
To the black bird's sweet song, 

T17/A a xtove to halancc the grist! 

Their <'ndoavor was clever. 
For whenever we sever 

Their act from honest intentions;- 
We are skinninjj a mote. 
For its valueless coat, 

And dream of later inventions. 
Vsd now shake up the sack 
With a vigorous whack, 

And deftly give it a twist; 
Then we ])our out the wheat. 
Looking pious and sweet. 

With nothing to balance the grist I 

Our deceivinc: Jind thievinsr, 
Oiu- l)elievinij and jrrievinjr, 

^^'ith candor stamped on our lying; 
Shows souKUhing disjointed. 
Where morals are pointed. 

The old disi)ensation dyingl 



42 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Give lis back the old sack 
That still hangs on the rack. 

Let not its lesson he miss'd; 
Lay it down at our feet, 
While we joyously greet, 

A morale to balance the grist! 



HE PASTOR is present in "ood time. A few strnirirlinof, 
demure-looking l)rethren and sisters come in one by 
one a goodly distance apart. The door closes with a 
solenm bang that calls up a sepulchral echo from the empty 
pews. The lights seem very dehcient, as though the sexton's 
oil can were in league against the prayer meeting. The choir 
has gone otf on an excursion, or to a concert, or a social 
dance, or something; at any rate they are quite sure to be away 
from the prayer m(>eting. The connoisseurs of artistic melody 
are not present, and it is not expected that the choir will waste 
their operatic airs on such unappreciative ears. 

The pastor, or some one, tinally takes up the Bible and 
reads a few passages from the holy l)ook in a very solemn tone. 
Then the prayers, oh. how long and tedious! The irony of 
Elijah is certainly appropriate here. It does seem to outsiders 
that the Clod of this prayer meeting has gone oif on a journey, 
and it rtMjuires labored elibrts to bring him back. The older 
brethren and sisters, unused to singing the praises of God 
since the choir — now at the concert or somewhere — gives them 
fashionable, new music every Sabbath, are now in a dilemma. 
They must have singing at the pra3^er meeting. One brother, 
noted for vehement zeal and opposition to churchly innovations, 
strikes up, "Alas! and did ray Saviour bleed?" but breaks down 
the first stanza in trying to accomplish the feat of adjusting a 
long metre tune to a common metre hymn. The young folks 
titter, and the brother in his eml)arrassment fixes his spectacles, 
looks at the livmn with a dubious orjance, and tries it ajjain. 
With the aid of the sisters who are determined to have singing 
at the prayer meeting, the good brother pulls through to the 
great relief of everybody. 



/iTopal ar)(i Jl^li^io^s, 



NEW YKAIJ KKVEKIES. 

Ye hiirps of living incinoiv! 

Strung with licctino: vcai-s. 

Vibrato once more as soft 

Fingered time touches thy throbbing 

AVires, and evokes the melody of 

Love. Here, chiseled on a slal), 

AVe read Ihy name, like the 

(xolden rim of sunset, coiled in tleecy 

Ringlets of somber hue, — the living 

Creepers, casting strange shadows, 

Wind their tiny arms al)oul thee! 

Below is deatlil with ghastly 

Retinue of perisluMl guestsi 

Silent in awful lonelinessi 

Above is life! nourished by 

Decay, weaving the sunlight 

And the Summer's breath 

Into a chariot, in which 

The soul rides up to heaven! 

Ah! there is a form of beauty 

More lasting than the angel 

Struck in marble mould, and 

Spreading wings, white and molioidess. 

Like stately guardians o\('r \\\o 

Mouldering forms we love. lb-ambles 

]\lay hide these, and the white 



44 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Wings tipped with gold may tarnish 

With the rust of years and hide 

Their I)eauty in their mossy graves, 

Undisturbed by pitying hand 

Or caressing memory! Bnl 

Here, within the soul, where 

Love holds court; where sympathy 

Flaunts her snowy banners; 

Where the soft hand of Pity smites 

The iao"o:ed mountains of selhshness 

With falling tears; where pictured 

Visions linger on fleshly 

Tables; here, memory would 

Stoop in awful reverence 

To pluck away the thorns 

Which Vice had planted! 

That Hope, and Love, and Virtne,- 

Unchoked by matted crown 

Of death, might rise l)eyond 

The boundaries of human sight, — 

And linking hands, ])r('sent 

Their trophies to the fludge! 

O! memory, how fleet thy wings! 

Thou fliest througli the grave. 

Where unkind deeds l)edr;iggle 

Thee, and fluttering from the 

Dust, thy smiting pinions 

Crack the shaft, which pride 

Upreared to make false show; 

And through the open senm 

The thun(UM-bolt of justice, red 

And glaring, falls with mighty 

Crash upon the bleeding soul! 

Life, sweet with perfumes 

Of mercy, will paint thee as an 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 45 



Ant^ol — not (lend l>ut living — 

Whose voice will rouse the 

Sleeping furies of the heart, — 

"Whose hand will knit 

The thorns into woof of sunny gold. — 

Whose breath will warm the fro/en rocks, 

And here, in holy dalliance 

With the past, we sit, in i)ati('nt 

Waiting for l)lending joys, ne'er 

Smitten by the cruel hand of 

Death. How sweet the nuirnuiring 

Sea that rolls lis tides along 

The golden strands of njeniory; 

When every shell and relic we 

Retain speaks to our ears 

In mellowed whispers of 

Unbroken gladnessl Like thrilling 

Notes of hapi)y birds; tiuttering 

From the thunder-cloud to 

Shake their drii)ping feathers 

In the coming sunlight 

We break forth into singing, 

And place the dust of death 

r>eneath the Great White Throne! 



TBIE. 



O, timel thou glowing morning star of youth 

Resplendent wilh the blush of opening day, 
Harth crowned, thy garland flashing truth. 

We love until we see thy locks of gray 
^Nlore vengeful grown along the llight of years. 

Sharper thy sickle with th<' fiidiug light; 
Thv heart conireals whenever human tears 

Like dew-drops glisten on the face of night I 



46 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Etigerly we grasp thy hand and praise 

The new-born joys, thy smiling favor brings 
Our souls, attuned to lofty songs, upraise 

Thy meetl of glory on exultant wings: 
But when our visions smitten in the dust 

Writhe in the anguish of despair and dread, 
W^e loathe thy sway and hesitate to trust 

The king who laughs amid our sleeping dead! 

Familiar grown, within thy long embrace. 

We look for pity in thy sleepless eye, 
Deceived, to tind a hard and unmovVl face 

We turn away to hide our tears, and die! 
Wither\l the hopes within our anxious grip, 

Like flowers scorchM, l)eneath Sahara's blast, — 
We lay them low, before thy stony lip. 

And wait to see thy signet seal the past. 

() Time! thy mandates, cruel though they be, 
Are wiser still than all the thoughts of men; 

To lift our hand against eternity, 

Is childish scribblmg with an unknown pen, 

Down to the dust we sink at thy command. 

But written high, above our cruml)ling clay, 

We read the fairer outlines of aland 

Where Time dethroned shall (piickly slink away! 



(^J^IIOM THE far oti" summit of the eternal hills, bathed in 
; f^[^ the sun-crowned glory of creation's king, and watered 
-^ ^ as the garden of God from the fountains of his power, 
there marches forth a mighty concjueror, attired with the royal 
robes of heaven, spreading his lofty banners to the breeze and 
hurling iiis death-dealing Ijatalions over the fairest forms of 
l)eauty that smile like tiowers tunid tiie barren wastes of earth. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 47 



Centuries have crowned him wilh their hoaiy diadem; legions 
arc iiKirshaied as if hy mairie at his commaixl; heaven and earth 
unite in eeleltratiuij the iriories of his coronation; (svery element 
is made t ril)utary to his will, and movini; with the velocity of 
lightning he never tires; looking upon the wreck he has made, 
he never relents; standing by the bed of disease and breathing 
the air laden with contagion, he never sickens; surveying the 
shocking I'ealms of (U'alh, he never dies; and with mockery 
for science, and scorn for hope, he moves with silent, stealthy 
tread through the dark mazes of human incredulity, or stains 
his lingers with the blood of sudden con(|uest in the thundering 
shock of l)attle. Ih? smites the mightiest kingdoms with his 
hand of power, and royalt\' })uts on the rags of mourning, and 
palaces are turned into the dust of the desert. He sits with 
the })roudest moiiarcli and sneers at his glory; he lingers beside 
the peastint's altar and covers it with the mould of death. He 
breathes upon the young, and his icy breath whitens the bloom- 
ing i)eauty of youth with the frosts of winter, and palsies the 
strong lind)s with the premonitions of api)roaching dissolution. 
He carves his name in the clefts of the rock where the eagle 
soars and tlu; tempest howls, or records it in the sands of the 
sea where the dirge of the dancing wavt^s sings its glory for- 
ever. H(^ makes his home \\\\(>\\ the Alpine heights covered 
with eternal snows, and kissing the vault of heaven wilh stony 
lips; or he al)ides under the shadow of the feathery palm, where 
the fiery ra^s of a tro[)ical sun burn his fame into the desert 
paths. 

He attends the slai-s on their silent inart-h, I'ccording their 
evolulions in his calendar of years, and dashing through the 
vaidt of night, he scorches the realms of space with the tlam- 
ing comet, and buries the fragments of crushed worlds l)eneatli 
the dark mantle of oblivion. He rides upon the storm-cloud 
when riven by the lightning's Hash, :ui<l tossed by tlu^ hurri- 
cane of winds, or he stands lieside the pih)t whose hand rests 



48 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 

cjilnily on the wheel, and whose eye looks far across the tran- 
(|uil waters tinted with a flood of golden light poured down 
from a cloudless sky. He touches our pathway with his magic 
})encil, and flowers of promise burst into life like the buds <^f 
spring-time, and again like the lifeless, heartless statue of 
bronze, he peers into the open graves that hold our loved ones 
with brazen eyes, and laughing at our grief like a flend, he 
tears the cerements of the dead into shreds, and with cruel hate 
he grinds their highest monuments into powder. 

Though everywhere present, marking his victims with the 
signs of coming desolation, or crushing bleeding hearts beneath 
his angr}^ tread, he is invisible to mortal gaze, and the secret 
of his mighty power is hidden among the wonders of the un- 
known. No one can arrest his triumphal nitirch. Leaping 
over every human I)oundary with giant step, he snaps every 
fetter like cords of sand, and grasping the thunderbolt from 
the hand of God, or softly stealing the electric flres from the 
throbbing beast, he strikes terror into every household and ap- 
pals every bounding heart. No one escapes his notice. With 
an eye like the brightness of the sun he looks upon the sweet, 
calm face of the sleeping babe, or strips the robes of state from 
the heart of imperisil greatness and shakes the dynasties of earth 
into fragments that kings may know that they arc but men. 

Swinging the mighty pendulum that l)eats the funeral march 
of dying worlds, he will continue to sit upon his throne until 
the great God will touch hi's scepter with the rust of decay, and 
dragiring the proud monarch from his lofty seat, he will bind 
him with eternal fetters and scatter his throne like dust into 
tlie sea of oblivion. , The sun will put out his blazing furnace, 
the heavens sprinkled with the golden dust from the sandals of 
their Maker will rejoice and sing with joy, angels will dip their 
snowy wings in the flashing light that floods the field of space, 
and the redeemed host coming from every nation, kindred and 
tongue, will strike their harps afresh, and attuning their mighty 



GOLDEN GLEAMXGS. 49 



chorus to the song of triumph, the}'^ will shout the dirge of the 
dethroned usui'per and prochiini the jul)ilee of a rescued world. 
***'*■ * ''' "■^" Let time dash the prison walls of this 
earthly tabernacle in a thousand })iec('s, scatter the dust to the 
four winds of heaven, and ride as a concpieror over the crumb- 
ling ashes of his wreek; if the jewel within has been kept by 
the power of God from the bloody touch of sin, it will rise 
heavenward on the golden stairway of light, singing the glory 
of its Keeper, while the throni' stands, heaven entlures and Je- 
hovah reiirns. 



NOT NOW. 



I sit and wait to hear the jar 
Of opening gates be^yond, 

Eager to catch the sound afar 

Which snaps t-ach earthly bond. 

1 ask myself. What veil is this^ 

nightl whence^ comest thou? 
Will darkness yield to prayer's kiss? 

Ilark the response, not now! 

I vainly beat my prison bars, 

And look aloft to find 
The cold inditlerence of the stars 

Mock the in(|uiring mind; 
Heaven is dund), and silence reigns. 

1 long to know, but how? 

Since ev'ry whispering tongue retains 
The dreaded notes, not now. 

The hills are nude with mystery, — 
The rivers' dashing foam, — 

The ocean's song of lil)erty. 

Are mutiled strains of home! 



50 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Yet, when I ask the dreaded why, 
Clouds veil each anxious brow, 

And Nature dooms my hopes to die. 
And answering writes, not now. 

I chtsp the Book of God and read 

My title to a home, 
When from this darkenM glass I'm freed 

And sight has fully come. 
Oh, let me know hut this alone, 

And trust my all to Him, 
Since this for darkness will atone, 

And glimpses faint and dim. 

Though God in nature may he dumh, 

Yet nature's God 1 see. 
When Faith computes the mighty sum. 

And blood avails for me! 
I trust Him, yea, I trust Him now, 

Though clouds arcnmd me roll, — 
Beneath thy gracious truth, art thou! 

The sunshine of the soul! 



THE LAST OF TWY. MODOCS. 

The remnant of the Modoc tribe of Indians were removed 
from Oregon to the Indian Territory. In answer to an inquiry 
wiiether they were satisfied, Bogus Charley, a chief, said: "No, 
we not like it; too many die. We come here one hunner tifty- 
five; we only one hunner now. All over there," and he pointed 
to a burial place on the adjacent hillside. When asked whether 
he would like to go back, he said sadly: "Yes, I like to go 
back; my sister there; my friends there." 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 51 

Gone! gone! from the spurklhii^ rivers, gone, 
And the sea green pines of Oregon; 
A\'here the tlying wolf and the da})ph'd deer 
Awake to life at tiie hunter's eheer, 
When the frosty leaves look brown and sere, 
In the gray dawn. 

Away, toward a burning southern sky, 
Away to the seorehing sands to die, — 
Like the green oak, when thunder riven, 
ShatterM and torn by bolt of heaven, 
These bleeding hearts, like eattle driven, 
Unheeded ery! 

The green mounds where the fathers sleep. 
Now fatle in the mists of the forest deep, — 
The glistening tears of the quiet dell, — 
And the sleepless eye of the wild gazelle, 
Weave Nature's sad and mute farewell, 
To eyes that weep! 

The bold Saxon, white of speeeh and skin. 
Ready to bargain, sell, eheat and win, 
Steep'd now in blood to the beard and lip, 
Cannot allow this moment to slip. 
But uses the old argument, thk whip, 
The tongue of sin! 

Tired of Congo and Mozand)ique, 
The slaves of old Serfdom, black and sleek; 
The pale-face shakes his dubious head, 
And vulture like, he waits for the red. 
Driving the living, despoiling the dead! 
No one to speak! 



52 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Hush the shrill cry in the dreary wood! 
It is Old}' the wail of our brotherhood; 
The toiigiH' of the ])apoose never can chill 
The frozen blood in the channels of ill. 
The weaker must bow to the stronger still. 
'Tis for their good. 

O, race of the tyrant! lift into sight 
Thy soul, like thy face, unspotted and white, 
And the dusky wings of the setting sun 
Shall shadow no more the crimes thou hast done, 
Nor blush at the trophies thy valor hath won, 
Shrouded with blight. 

Gone! gone! in tears to the sands of the plain, 
Hope ne'er builds its temples again; — 
The swarthy ranks are bleeding and torn. 
From the nursling babe, to the stalwart first-born. 
They're scattered in death, 'neath the rustling corn, 
Under the rain! 

Homeward the swalloAVs tiit in the spring. 
Kissing the north wind with gladsome wino-; 
Away o'er the mountains, sheeted with snow. 
Away, where the rivers laugh in their How, 
Ah! thither the thoughts wander and go, 
Where the birds sing! 

O, wilderness! how dreary and lone! 
'Tis a land of strangers with pillow of stone; 
But though We mourn in a distant land, — 
Like shattered wrecks on a dismal strand. 
We. can reach forth each withered hand. 
Up to the throne! 



CWLDKN GLEAXrMGS. 53 



O. white man! proud of thy t'rat'l and ixold. 
Be just to thy l)rolh(M'. slalcly aud l»oKl; 
Oi" the Ix'c will l)('ar in ils silver hum. 
As it wheels in ils tlii^iil. to <ro or eouie. 
The siu^hs of the uiotuiiui:'. hleediiiL;". dunil)! 
To heaven's fold! 

Then God will hear from the lurid air. 
The whirring winds as they cry in prayer; 
And the shrouded light of mnoecnee, 
Shall rend the vail of its long suspense, 
And rest its plea with Onuiipotenco, 
Triumphing there! 



fAITIl IN Christianity is stimulated by a sense of right 
and protection, and the converse is equally true. 
- -^ Authority must he so worn as not to chafe the neck of 
piety. Moses, though inhaling the electric tires of (iod on 
Sinai, communes with the peo})leI Christ speaking with Moses 
and Elias on Mount Tahor. turns tenderly to th'i Apostles. The 
crucifixion itself hleiids divinity with humanity, justice with 
mercy, and power with suttering. Heaven and eaith are Itound 
together by the blended rainbow of promise. 



TRIBrTK TO KLDKH A. WILKY. 

Within thy courts, O Death, we stand. 

And hear thee knocking at the door 
Of one whose trembling, pulseless han<] 

Flings thy black keys upon the tioor; 
Exultant where thy shadows fell. 

Thy gates fly open at his call. 
And ev'ry fetter forged in hell 

Lii's broken in th\' l)oasted hall. 



54 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Like as a bird from fowler's snare, 

He flings his aanntlet from the skies, 
PoisM on thy shiver'd spear, to (hue 

Thy armor'd knights to sacrifice; 
He holds thy (juiver in his hand, 

Where sunless noon forever reigns. 
And walks a king in that In-ight land. 

To wave his scepter o'er thy pains. 

Led by thy Master to the brink 

Of waters freezing with thy breath. 
He hesitated, feared to drink 

Thy bitter draught of sin, O, Death! 
But He who quelled the rising wave 

Placed His piercM foot upon thy neck, 
And all thy minions found a grave 

Within thy prison's shattered Avreck. 

Thine iron leaves of terror flung 

Their secrets open as he passed. 
And triumph gave his soul a tongue 

To sing his rescue at the last! 
Back from the mystic, unseen shore. 

He waves his signal through the gloom, 
No doubt can e'er disturb him more. 

He finds the Rock l)urst through the tomb! 

In silent awe we lay him down. 

Weary with toilsome labor done; 
He gives np weakness for a crown, — 

AVhy should we mourn a battle won^ 
Young in years, but ripe in worth, 

God saw his fitness for the skies; 
His touch gave an immortal birth, 

And crown'd his rapture with surprise. 



Golden gleanings. 55 



Now let the budding springtime wake 

The melodies of wood and glon. 
And forest flowers and song birds Itreak 

The drcandcss sleep of lioly men. 
Herewith our roses, stain'd with tears, 

AVe eome to elothc this naked grave. 
And knit our faith with coming years, 

When we shall meet the (Christ that ijave. 



(BSTAIN FROM that about which the soul expresses a 
\i^i^ doubt, and we <>ird ourselves with y)ower from on high. 
Yield to habits and customs doubtful in their tenden- 
cies, and we invite the Delilah of seductive diplomacy to clip 
our locks of power and hand us over to our enemies, that our 
eyes may be put out, and we may be made to serve the pur- 
poses of Satan. 



JESUS MAKP]TH THEE WHOLE. 

Oh. these rags of a )>eggar. 

Flaunting the shame of my fate; 
Oh, the sadness of waiting 

Beside the beautiful orate! 
I'ut the s))ort of the highway. 

This house with its treml)ling soul. 
Hears stealing through its windows, 

•'Jesus maketh thee whoh'.'" 

Tears are kisses of glory; 

These rags are fashiouM like gold. 
When the smile of (.'hrist's pity 

The jo3's of heaven unfold. 



50 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



We would go to the desert. 

Or singing from pole to pole, 

To hear the voice of healing, 
' 'Jesus maketh thee whole/' 

Sorrow will sweeten merc>% 

Fresh from the warm heart of love, 
Pain Avill cast in its furrows 

The hopes that are horn al)ove! 
What if the garnish'd temple 

Will mock these waves as they roll, 
We'll wait to hear tlie whisper, 

"eTesus maketh thee whole." 

Soon the poor, waiting l)eggar 

No more will lie at the gate, 
Rags will flutter with angels, 

Kissing their wings as they wait! 
Then the Father of Mercy 

AVill swing the gates of the goal, 
Throbbing wnth the sweet healing, 

'"Jesus maketh thee whole." 



fSIDE FROM the declarative utterances of the Scrip- 
tures, sustaining belief in a future state, the atonement 
— • itself speaks with mighty power. Would Christ die in 
horrible agonies for a known deception? Would he palm off a 
falsehood written in his own blood? The bare thought of such 
a high-priced imposture suggests its own refutation. If there 
be no future life Christ died in vain, and God himself would 
be convicted of the greatest blunder of history. The cross and 
eternit}' kiss each other; for either one without the other would 
be the dismal mistake of blind and hopeless chance. 



GOLD EX GLEAN INCS. 57 



TOMOKKOAV. 

OhI take no tlioiiirlit for tlic morrow. 

Tlion cliild of soiTowiiiu heart. 
Tlic leaden skies wliieh von l)orro\v 

No rain or sunshine impart. 
The wino^s of tiie mornini; will fold 

In the mists of dawninjj^ hours — 
To burnish their feathers of gold. 

OrHutter in dri/zling showers. 

The Itree/es that fan thy anguish 

Will ne'er grow loss at th}' care. 
For deserts l)righten to lanofuish 

In baseless visions of prayer! 
The (lashing waves of thy sorrow 

Will not give back at thy word, 
Nor will the gates of the morrow 

Respond to the knock they have heard. 

To-day has need of thy gladness. 

The clouds that lurk in thy skies, 
Jf i-immM with jihantoms of sa(iness, 

\\\\\ hide the light from yonr eyes; 
Thy hands will w^eaken whenever 

They seek to grasp the unknown, 
The true heart cannot dissever 

The life from the crown and the throne. 

The birds rejoice in the morning. 

And sing with the blush of gold. 
Light is their beacon of warning. 

And duty the sceptre they hold: 
No dark and vain for(>l)odin<j: 

K'er l)lackens theii- yesterday; 
Their future is never corroding 

With lh(> hauntinir tears of to-dav. 



58 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



'Tis left for men in their reason, 

To doubt the Giver of good, 
And sing of fruits in their season. 

Like children starving for food. 
Oh shame, on the hiighting sorrow. 

Casting its shadows before. 
Until the leaves of the morrow 

Are witherM, to freshen no more! 

Oh! shall the present be slighted 

Beneath the shadows to come; 
The fears of the morrow righted 

While Hope lies helpless and duml)!? 
No! God will be only heeding 

That form of anxious prayer 
Which mingles work with its pleading. 

Finding part of its answer there. 

While birds are joyously singing, 

And sky is sunny and clear. 
Shall these voices cease their ringing, 

Drown'd in the depths of a tear? 
Oh, rather take the task given. 

And press to the smiles of the goal. 
Which flash in the sunlight of heaven 

To cheer the home of the soul! 



''^'^^ANY A YOUNG MAN, not out of his teens, is not 
away from home at school one year till he has made 
the astounding discovery that there is no God. A 
little of the classics, and a pinch of science, have knocked reve- 
lation into oblivion. He is not a soft, jelly-fish, moluscan 




GOLDKX GLEANINGS. 50 



l)()ol)y, but a voiitiil)lo voitehratc. He thinks for himself! He 
imagines the Apostle Paul would sit at his fec^t if he had been 
so fortunate as to live in this a<re. He thinks it a irreat l^ity, 
and a ])()sitiv(' loss to hunianit \ . that a man of Paul's energy 
was not l>etter infornicdl 



TO MY MOTHER. 



Oh, mother! ean this heart forget thj care? 

^^'hen first my infant eyes beheld thy face. 
How thou didst consecrate my life in i)rayer. 

And launchM my soul ui)on the sea of grace. 
How oft, unconscious of thy troubbnl heart, 

I gave thee pain by my rude childish glee. 
And blindly laughed to see the tear drops start 

And cloud the face which gave sunshine to me! 

The years have come and gone in stern array, 

Manhood has crowned my childish joys and fears. 
These chestnut locks are whitening into gray. 

And life has taught me what is meant by tears. 
Now J shall know much better how to look 

Upon the tender thoughts my mother gave. — ■ 
Sealed by the clasp of an eternal book. 

Like autumn leaves, they rustle round her grave! 

Her dark, bi-own eyes no more look into mine. 

No more I hear her trilling lullaby, 
Which HUM my heart with music, all divine — 

Like whispers murmured by the restless sea. 
Then, like the mariner when rock'd to rest. 

I sank to slumber on n)y nu)thcr's ai"m. 
"While to her heart her dreaming child she pressed. 

And fearM to stir, lest wakina* would alarm. 



60 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Oh, mother! can llio awful Uuth be true, 

That thou art sleeping' now beneath the sod. 
Where tlowers weep their jieai-ly tears of dew, 

And mourn the precious dust so dear to God? 
Yes! birds s'oall warble now their songs to thee, 

Like thou, sweet charmer, singing to thy child. 
When sleeping softly on a mother's knee, 

He sharVi the joys which from thy features smiTd. 

Shall 1 not soon behold my mother's face? 

Homesick and weary, here afar I wait — 
O longing heart! be still and know thy place, 

'Tis work, not rest, outside the golden gate. 
Soon clouds will flit no more across thy sky. 

Nor dim the vision of my l)rio;ht'nintr soul. 
Eternal day will light my mother's e\'e. 

Whene'er she sees her child approach the goal! 



(C^I^HE EARTH is again clad in the habiliments of resurrec- 
/f- tion. The air is resonant with new voices. The fields 
"^ sparkle with the hues of the emerald. The singing 
birds are opening the latch of summer.' The swallow and the 
robin are returning from their southern tour. Flitting through 
the budding trees, or singing beneath the eaves of our roofs, 
they are spending the livelong day in preparing their summer 
residences. With the joyous morning dawn of glory all nnist 
be new. The old, decaying nests — fraught with the most ten- 
der associations — will not answer their present purpose. Every 
stick of timber in their tiny dwellings must be thoroughly in- 
spected. Evei'v tuft of grass or bit of hair or wool which is to 
warm the coming brood must pass the scrutiny of the par- 
ents' eye. Everything is done as though the work of a month 
was to instruct eternity, and the frail castle of a day to last 
forever. No provision is made for laggards, and no excuse for 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 61 



iniporfec't worU. If tlioy do not work tlioy shall not oat. The 
earth is full of [)lenty, l)ut food iiui.st l)e irathci-ed. The wing that 
will not brinii' 't^ nuiscU's into [)iay will soon he featherlcss and 
palsied, 'llie very lustre of the beautiful songsters is depend- 
ent on the food whieh their own energy secures. If their bril- 
liant plumage would retleet the light of the sun and dazzle the 
bewildered eye of the ra])turous beholder, they must work. 
They work too in the morning of life. As soon as their young 
and delicate bodies are covered, they stretch their wings and 
face the sunshine and the storm. They do not — like wiser be- 
ings — pass their years of strength in listless somnolence, and 
in the darkening shadows of the evening protrude their aged 
heads from underneath a convenient wing to chirp a death 
song of eontrition and penitence over a misspent and wasted 
life! 

Spring ti'aches us the great lesson of beauty as well as 
work. The dead trees assume life again. The leafless branches 
are covered with l)ursting l)uds. (Jorgeous robes are being 
woven in ihe loom of nature. The trees are festooned with 
glor}'. Tlic warbling lark darts into the mellowing azure, 
warmed Ijy the life-})ulse of new discoveries. 

The Iaml)s ski}) and play on the vei'dant hillsides, and the 
gushing fountains dance and sing in the dawn of a new crea- 
tion. Withered and decaying, the old life is cast oil', that the 
earth may assume the new. The fading garments of age are 
exchanged for the fairer colors of youth. The clouds of night 
are seattered b}- the rising sun. The Hashing chariot of Hope, 
with its captive foes at its wheels, goes gloriously on. Death 
is swallowed uj) of life; the smoke of battle is cleared away by 
the shouts of victory, and spring-time smiles on the dissolving 
empire of winter, (i lory to the great Father! These rags of 
death will soon l)e exchanged for fairer garments. Tears will 
turn to diamonds and graves to thrones. The withered 
branches of our sickly love will bud and IjIooui witli renewed 



62 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



vigor. The verdureless trees of earth will clap their hands be- 
side the river of life. Yet the blooming glory of eternity — 
like tl)e new beauties of the spring time — is but the fuller man- 
ifestation of a life hidden within. The leafless braneh is not 
dead, the hidden sun is not annihilated, and the ttowerless l)osom 
of the earth has not lost its heart. 

No, these hidden forces are but waiting for the sunshine. 
When warmth is poured down from heaven they will leap with 
joy; but the heat that paints the rose also revivifies the poison- 
ous plant. The influences that ripen our food restore the adder 
from its torpidity. So the warm, outgushing springtime of 
God's love but eml)itters many lives with the poison of hate 
and rebellion, and instead of producing flowers to cheer, and 
food to feed the famishing world, they mature nothing but the 
vines af enmity and disdain. Oh, that we might place our 
ear to the heart of mother earth and listen to the throbbing life- 
pulse and learn the passing and important lessons borne on the 
breezes and lurking in the sunbeams thrown into the verdant 
lap of spring! 



THE FEAST OF DEATH. 

A king to-day! to-morrow dead! 
A pulseless hand and crowned head — 
O Fortune! God of royal I>lood, 
Is this the field swept by thy flood? 
To dust! to dust! the purpled king 
Sinks with the beggarVl rags we bring, 
The glittering gold, the canker'd rust, 
Mino^le at last in native dust! 

O'er Babylon the rays of light 
Had faded 'neath the wings of night, 
The kind'ling stars, like angel eyes, 
Peep'd from the curtains of the skies. 
And o'er the gold of towerVl hall, 



GOLDEN GLEAXINGS. 63 



The shimniorinfr .strenni or massive wall, 
The moon, with lambent beam of tlame, 
\\'i()te tlu' weird beauty of her name. 
The gardens swung like terraced hills. 
The tiowers dipp'd the murm'ring rills. 
The gates of brass, with stern array, 
Like mighty watchmen guard the way. 
Within the palace, Chaldee's jnide. 
Her youth, her sages, side by side, 
Gathered like pearls from ocean wave. 
To deck a crown, or light a grave, 
The worthless cast, the sparkling kept. 
No more to burn where sea-weeds slept. 
But scorning now the gloom of night. 
Flash round the king with dazzling light. 
Beauty is there, and lust, and wine, 
A damning trinity, to shine 
Across the tyrant's path of gloom, 
And wake the terrors of the tomb. — 
Higli over head the music rolTd, 
And runs throujjh vaults of fretted gold, 
And marble floor, and silver bell, 
Ke-echoed every note that fell. 
The massive sculpture of the walls. 
Adorning corridors and halls, 
Stood out in (^uiv^ring life-like form. 
Like chisel'd sentinels of storm. 
The artist's dream, by life awoke, 
Breathing beneath his magic stroke, 
(lleanrd and HashM before the ga/e. 
Like canvas touch'tl l)y golden blaze; 
The tankards clank'd a solemn knell. 
Like Dante's wailing dirge of hell. 
And round the sparkling li}) of wit 
There curl'd the visions of the pit! 



64 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



The king with wild delirium brings 
The stolen wealth of former kings, 
And pours his wine and quatfs his toast, 
With leering grin and drunken boast. 
What cares the king for God or man';* 
A scepter'd fool! Avitliout a plan! 
A royal slave! with scorpion sting, 
Hidden beneath the name of king! 
His courtiers fawn before his nod, 
Glad to defile the name of God, 
They lick his hands like whining hounds. 
And l)ay his name in uuitterM sounds. 
While mingling notes of revelry 
Sweep through the court in waves of glee. 
A sudden flash across the wall 
Strikes every heart with stunning })all; 
Benumbed with awe, and blind with fear. 
The king beholds a hand appear. 
Holding a pen which God hath given, 
To write the invited wrath of heaven! 
The music rolls no more on high. 
No cornet blast, or festal cry, — 
No dancers' feet now trip the floor. 
Nor jest is heard from door to door. 
A thousand nobles! where are theyi' 
Dumb! like statues formed of clay! 
God writes, and shivering 'neath his pen 
Like aspen leaves, are armor'd men! 
Where now the king of brazen mold? 
Where now his boasts so often told? 
Hark! let the silent, pulseless air 
Give l)ack the fruitless answer, AVhere? 
'•Bring forth the honored seer of God, 
Though Chaldee feel the scourge and rod;" 
This, this, the startled wuil of prayer. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 05 



Which hursts upon thi' iiiithiiiiht air. 
He comes with kingly, stately tread, 
He asks not irohl. he hegs not hread. 
Hut with a hrow serene and ijrave. 
Shames King and harlot, serf and slave! 
He lifts a Prophet's tiery eye 
To read the verdict found on high, 
And then, amid the trtMuhling awe, 
He breathes out (Jod's insulted law. 
The kingdom rent, the balance hung, 
in which the monarclTs pomp is swung, 
His crown and scepter now shall be 
Too light to pass (lod's scrutiny. 
But tiery bolts shall light the doom 
Now closing o'er the bloody tond». 
And all the splendor of that rught 
Kindles the torch of Pain antl Fright. 
Ah! let the prophet's words foretell 
How near the crown to death and hell! 
How better far, the rags of Worth 
Than all the accidents of l)irtli! 




IrOU HAVE SEKN a little urchin, ragged, dirty and un- 
11 prepossessing, playing altout a mean hovel which he 
calls ''home."' To add to the earthy degradation some 
mishap in play turns his childish gambols to a cry of distress. 
Imm(^diat(!ly a woman emerges from the miserable cabin, and 
with soothing tones of womanly tenderness comforts the crying 
child, im[)rinting a kiss of n^al atliH-tion on the dirty, sun- 
browned face. Instinctively you say to yoursi^lf, that no one 
but the mother could kiss such a child in that way. So, when 
all the worltl would repel us from its arms with tokens of dis- 
gust, the tender words of Christ come stealing through our un- 

5 



QQ GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



prepossessing appejii'iincos, until his tender, sootliiiiglonesavvaken 
the sleeping titlections of our souls, and through our tears and 
anouish we l)ehold the dear face of our best Friend! Like a 
tender mother, he remains devoted to us when all the world is 
dark. 



THE FRUITLESS FIG TREE. 

Behold the tree by the highw^ay, 

With its plume of fruitless green. 
Glory reclines in its shadow. 

And beauty reigns as a queen! 
Weary antl worn with his journey. 

The Master, in eager pursuit, 
Plucks leaves from the barren branches. 

Which ought to l)e laden with fruit. 

Not beauty or gold could rescue 

The fruitless tree from the curse, — 
The garl) and tinsel may cover 

The taint of the grave v>x the hearse; 
But a sleepless eye is upholding. 

And the heart of humanity grieves. 
When the flushed hand of our bounty 

Is withered like fruitless leaves. 

The world is starving and hungry. 

And food is more rare than show; 
Bold shafts of marble and granite 

May rise 'midst squalor and woe; 
But who deals bread to the needy 

Is friend of the man and brute, 
For Christ will blast the leaves only, 

And spare the well-ripened fruit. 



GOLDEN GLEAXIXGS. 67 



The i)lusli. the velvet and eriinson 

May draw tlie lightning.s of wrath, 
And leave the wreek i)f })iofessi()n 

To blight the sear of its path! 
l)Ut close to the hi-art of ,Iesiis 

The fruit of the Spirit will l)looin, 
AVhere, shaken by every life-thiob, 

Twill fall in the la}) of the tomb! 

Do we give the en[) of i*t)ld water^ 

To moisten the li})s of the faint. 
Unwilling to hear their kind l)lessing, 

Or as.snme the name of a saint; 
The Judge beholdeth from heaven. 

And his swift fan i)urgeth the lloor, 
This wheat shall surely be garner'd, 

For the Master stands at the door! 

From field, or pillow or workshop, 

The fruit of the heart may a[)i)ear. 
Now tinted with dazzling sunlight. 

Now kissed with the pearl of a t(!ar. 
Sometimes the clouds overshadow, 

Sometimes we see the clear sk}-. 
Whatever will ripen the harvest 

^^'ill i)lease the Ilusbandnuurs eye. 

The fruit doth gather the sunshine 

To sweeten the bitter core, 
And the light that dazzles the sinner 

Prepares the Christian for more; 
The pain of sorrow unfoldeth 

The mantle which misery weaves, 
Since woven in life's dark colors 

Are the shadows of needful leaves. 



68 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



But who will come to the Master, 

With only leaves at the last, 
Inviting the curse of His justice. 

With the withered deeds of the past! 
Now the curs'd tree of the highway 

Stands out to guide our prayer. 
Then, dead, and leaiiess, and shiver'd, 

'Twill mark the wail of despair! 



■jT NDEED, the destruction of the Christian Sabbath is one of 
the surest indications of the vilest immorality. France 

■^ to-day, with its infidelity, communism, general debauch- 
ery, theatres, gambling halls and places of business in full blast 
on God's holy daj^, is a standing, living contirmation of the sad 
truth. Rationalism, blasphemy and drunkenness are the pois- 
onous Hovvers, having their roots in the pestilential putrefac- 
tion of this sink of death. No nation can long maintain the 
ascendency of religion; no, not even the semblance of a pure 
outward morality, which will persistently disregard the obliga- 
tions of the Sabl)ath. 

This verdict of history should not be allowed to pass un- 
noticed. Insidiously, but nevertheless surely, a spirit of Sab- 
l)ath desecration is creeping into our larger cities, through the 
foreign element of society, and the Hood of beer, communism, 
and blasphemy, now deluging our land, will ere long produce 
its harvest of blood. And not blood alone. The very worst 
p'hases of German and French rationalism are being planted 
with the dagger?; of communism, and watered wuth beer. Our 
children will be poisontnl with these noxious effluvia after Ave 
sleep in our graves. The very best institutions of the govern- 
ment will be attacked, and perchance uprooted, l)y the pikes 
and bludgeons of surging, angry mobs. 



GOLDEN GLEAXIKGS. 69 



Liberty, the watchword of the century, will tlcfjenerate 
into the lawless right to gorge the i^opular man with innocent 
hlood, to gain advantages and })rivilcges never granted by a 
good government, nor sanctioned by the authority' of God. 
Like the cry, "crucify him," the haters of Christianit}' will 
seek to popularize crime, and they will make o])p()sition to the 
marriage relation, the Christian Sabbath and ecpial government 
the price of fealty in the strange and Ithxxiy temple of the new 
faith. 



SINAI. 

Majestic mountain! from the plain 

We look to thee, thence up to God, 
For when thy flinty tables reign. 

We see the throne, and feel the rod; 
Thy rugged crags to heaven lift 

The prophet in their stern embrace. 
Where clouds in vapory shadows drift, 

And hide the lirightness of his face. 

Held by the l)hi/ing mount, in check, 

We cannot near the towering height, 
Though l)reaking hearts, in sinful wreck. 

Lie scattered 'neath the flashing light. 
In awful grandeur, (iod comes down, 

With lightnings flashing round his form. 
AVhile thundering echoes place his crown. 

Upon the monument of storm. 

There its bright gems of truth ]iortray 
The power of (iod and sins of men. 

No changes waste with foul decay 
The records of that heavenly pen; 



10 GOLbEN GLEAXIXCS. 



But ti-enibling 'neHth the law, we wait 
To hear our dreaded scntenee hurled 

'Mid crashing thunderl)olts which grate 
Upon a troubled, dying world. 

Hark! to another mount we turn. 

In answer to our Fathcn-'s call; 
What though old Sinai flash and burn, 

It cannot change the heart of a^all. 
O, Calvary! now bathed in blood, 

Thou art the refuge of the soul, 
Wrapp'd in thy tearful, crimson flood. 

We find at last, our cheerinc; o()al. 



^jT ACK OF MORALS often results from lack of bread. 
m^ Hunger is cme of the deviPs avenues to the human 



••J^--') heart. Tracts and Bil)les even ma}' be sheer mockery of 
true charity. A man with his children starving is in no mood 
to hear a sentimental homily on religion. A loaf of bread or a 
veal cutlet would in that case supersede the printing press. 
We should also remember that exposure to great danger always 
presents a great opportunity; that seeing the weaker side of 
human nature is God's mandate to help it. 

The great Chicago fii'c made llie world kin. and fused the 
sympathies and moneys of all climes in the hot crucible in which 
were melted her homes and magnificent temples! The dying 
Garfield, with life slowly ebbing away, ))ecame the National 
magnet, attracting the pra^'ers and affections of all classes, un- 
til his bedside — like the Jerusalem of ancient Israel — concen- 
tered the tearful sight of kings, sages and captives! The yel- 
low fever in fh.e south obliterated the line of hate and war, 
transforming modest maidens in northern homes into angels of 
pity, with healing in their touch and salvation on their lips! 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. ?1 



We can never forsfet these grolden links in the ln'otherhood 
of man, so wondrously welded in the fires of a common ca- 
lamity. They ought to toach us that there is always an under 
current somewhere in human hearts, which, like tlie gulf stream 
is always warm, and which some mighty convulsion or stoi'm 
will bring to universal notice by kissing the haunts of misery 
and breathing the l)reath of summer on the dying Howers of 
the smitten heart. 



THE CHRISTMAS GIFT. 

Cold waves of storm are heard without, 

As rustling through the leaHess trees, 
They rush like armies in the rout — 

Or heedless billows of the seas- 
Like angels winged with Arctic snow 

They flutter on the crystal pane. 
Where, dying with the stunning idow. 

They mark their graves among the slain. 

l^ut through the roar of storm we hear 

A gentle voice which speaks within. 
Warming the pulse of every year, 

Lifedike thi'olts from the pangs of sin. 
'Tis Christmas morn — an<l from the sky, 

\Vhere hung the blessed star of light. 
There comes to every wistful eye 

The smile that makes our darkness bright. 

The Lily of the Valley grows 

Amid the weeds of earthly taint, 
Nourished amongst eternal snows, 

Worshipi)M, ador'd by ev'ry saint; 
Though fro/en by the chill embrace 

Of serpents coiling round ils roots. 
It spreads white han<^ls before ils face. 

And vields to enemies its fruits! 



GOLDEN CLE A XING S. 



The Rose of Sharon, pressM and dead. 

Exhales its fragrance throuoh the years. 
Though tender hands ne'er touched its bed, 

Nor held its leaves, all wet with tears. 
Still through its stern and stormy life, 

It covers o'er the rocks of death, 
Hiding the gaping wounds of strife 

With healing, like the summer's breath! 

The tir-tree and the myrtle l)loom 
Al)ove the ashes of the grave, 
Since flowers nourished by the tomb 

Are sw^eetest to the heart that gave. 
So storms may sweep this mountain height, 

And chill these distant barren lands, 
Yet clouds will vanish into light, 

And all the trees will clap their hands. 

01<1 earth, with heaving breast of snow. 

Is yet a home for the (xod man 
Whose temples, pillow'd on our woe. 

Throb with the life of heaven's plan. 
Here, like the leafless trees, we stand, 

Bendins before the rushing gale. 
Our lives protected by a hand 

That holds unseen the rended veil! 




OW OFTEN the busy worker grows tired. Weariness 
settles down upon us like a starless night, chilled by 
adverse winds and bufleted by unforseen trials; tried 
and tempted, we long for that rest which remaineth for the peo- 
ple of God, where the Avicked cease from troul>ling and the 
weary are at rest. The brain reels, the heart faints, and the 
silent quickstep of our thr()l)l)ing pulses seems too slow in the 



GOLDEN GLEAXINGS. 73 

awful march of destiny. Our words misunderstood or fasitiod, 
our motives im])u<rne<l, our very thoughts sometim(\'^ inveigled 
in a net-work of wrong suspicions, our sacritict's hooted as the 
outgrowth of selfishness, we are like weary eiiildren when the 
shadows of Jiiirht curtain tlie earth — loii":ino: for the ansfel of 
sleep to touch our eyelids and say. Sleep on now. 



SWEET HOME. 

Oh, Ihou sacred home of childhood. 

Dimly seen through dreary years. 
Yet I love thy budding wildwood 

And thy Howers hid by tears. 

Friends forsake me, still I cherish 

Ever fondly in my breast; 
Halcyon echoes which can't perish — 

Dearest home! forever blest! 

Who can weep like a dear mother 

An<l iclieve the aching brow? 
Who has love like a kind brother? 

Tell me wandering or))han now. 

Wealth and luxury may greet you 

While through this dark world yon roam. 

Happiness and ]ileasui'e meet you. 
Yet the soul of life is home! 

Now I say fai-ewell, in sadness. 

To the tinted landscape where 
Bounding feet with youtful gladness 
Souirht the Howers sweet and rare. 



74 GOLDEN GLEANWCS, 



Prisoned heart! we look !il)ove lis 
To the glowing home of })eace; 

There the angels sta\' Avho love us. 
There our wanderings shall cease. 

Speak it softly! that is heaven, 

(^hild of sorrow, thovi art come — 

By earth's dashing hillows driven, 
Find thy weary spirit's home. 

No farewell is ever spoken, 

Parting sighs are never heard; 

No true hearts are sad and l)roken 

By the thoughts which al)senee stirrM. 

All is peace and endless pleasure, 
Broken harps are never found 

In this home of fadeless treasure; 

Homeless pilgrim! homeward bound! 




jTOMS ARE NOT to he despised. The gigantic is but 
ili&fs the residt of intinitesimal accretion. The vast, swelling 
ocean is but an enlarged rain drop. The coral reefs, 
which are formidable enough to wreck the navies of the world, 
are formed by a very small insect. The rich carpet of green 
beneath our feet is woven l)y the silent spindles of sunlight, as 
they silently interlace the myriad threads of the growing grass. 
The beautiful and grateful shade of the stately tree in midsum- 
mer is stitched together by thousands of overlapping leaves. 
The army of the silent stars, marcliing across the heavens, pro- 
duces the nnijestic 'gl<n-y of t lie terrestrial parade. A single 
star in the blackness of tin- night would be the lonely and deso- 
late vigil of sal)le gloom, (iod has ordained the law of associ- 
ation as the law of power, as Avell as beauty. 



GOimN GLEANWGS. 75 



REST. 

01 thou restless sea! 
Boastful, iniij^hty, and yet not free. 

Thy niurm'ring voice along the heaeh 
Sings of rest thou canst not reach; 
Weeds drift on ev'ry foaming wave, 

And inky patches dim the tide; 
The mire steeps its shifting grave 
Within thy murky folds of pride; 
Here, O dear Christ, we see 

The heart within eac^h hreast; 
And hear, "-Come unto me 
And 1 will give you rest." 

We see along the shore 
The anchored vessels of the blessed yore; 
AVe hear the dipping oars heyond. 
And vainly strive to l)urst each bond; 
Clouds dash before our longing eyes, — 
Helpless, wretched, blind, we stand. 
We cannot ])ierce the mists that rise 
To cloud that glorious far-otFland; 
But still our hearts can be 

Calm in their eager (piest; 
And hear, ''Come unto me 
And I will give you rest." 

Soon every shadow gone. 
We'll list for creaking gates of dawn; 
Wear}' and worn with dismal strife, 
WeMl lay our arms at door of Life, 
Then our eyes, with their weeping, red. 
^^'ill catch the light of another sky; 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



The clouds that hido the dying bed 
Will rift at glance of Jes^iis' eye! 
Oh, hopeful soul and free, 

Canst thou not hear, though [)r<ss\ 
The words, "Come unto nie 
And 1 will give you rest.'' 



Rest for the weary soul I 
Rest where the throi)l)ing biUows roll! 
Rest like the bird on outstretchVl wing 
Kiss'd by the smiles of opening spring; 
We feel the touch of passing l)last, 

And hear the voice of raging sea, 
Only to feel that pain will last 

As long as Christ will have it be. 
Then with the saved and blest 

We'll hear, "Come unto me 
And I will give you rest, '" 
And heeding will be free. 



O Christ! how dark the night; 
The stars emit but feeble light. 

But still the sun, with golden blaze, 
Scatters the gloom with silent praise; 
The voice of doubting, bleeding hearts 

Thrills the cold storm with anxious prayer, 
And quivering cloud breaks and parts, 
That we n^ay see our Master's care. 
Why wait for death to free? 

When Christ's own sweet request 
Throbs out, "Come unto me 
And I will give you rest!" 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 77 



^ai^f'HE LIVING present is the chariot of fire in uU history! 
^^' It sweeps with incrensinp: spU'iidor across the faint 
^ hmd-marks of former experiences. The wail of the 
(h'owiiing Eg3'ptians becan)e the keynote of Israel's song of 
triumph. At the command of Jehovaii, men march across the 
l)eaten paths of the centuries. Tlie new world, enveloped in 
the mists of ignorance, lies in plain view to the vision of 
Columbus. Science man-hes forth a giant, with the scepter of 
a king, where once it was hut the servile lackey of the pam- 
pered priests. The mistakes of to-day may become the step- 
ping stones to a throne to-morrow. 



THE WORLDS HOPE. 

Resting in the arms of ,Iesus, 

Arms of everlasting might. 
There the blood eomjjletcly frees us, 

And we walk with him in light: 
He who wore the crown of sorrow 

Treads the thorny i)ath of })ain. 
And the clouds which veil the morrow 

Melt in tears of cheerful rain. 

Here the nails, the cross, the dying, 

Hide the sun from mortal gaze, 
But l)eyond the pain and crying, 

Flash the light of endless days! 
Through the darkness clouds are rifting; 

And our souls exult to see 
Shadows from our pathway lifting. 

In the near eternity! 

Criicl mockings jicrc may (lark*-n 
All the windows of the soul, 

But within, our hearts will hearken 
To a voice which makes us whole; 



78 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Clirisl has toucird the night of weeping, 
And though sun and stars go down, 

He has given to our keeping 

Brighter light and l)righter crown. 

Why not lift the veil of sadness? 

Weary heart so tired of life, 
Plume thy faith with hope and gladness, 

Christ can sweeten all thy strife; 
God can sow thy l)arren fallow 

With the precious seed of love. 
And from soil that's poor and shallow, 

Fill the Granaries above! 



t'O MAN TESTING God's method will remain a sceptic. 
Skeptics are made by pursuing false roads to a given 
^^ object. On the subject of true, heart-felt religion no 
man's observations are worth}' of notice or credence who has 
failed to test God's method. If standing on the broad rock of 
God's eternal law, he has the audacity to trample into dust the 
mighty promise at his feet, his scream of alarm might frighten 
the uneasy sea I)irds that hover over his towering perch, but 
until we hear such a cry we may rest securely in our faith 
while the dashing waves of rebellious unl)elief gnaw hopelessly 
at the adamantine foundation of the world's hope! 



DEATH OF E. H. THOMAS. 

The sl>adow,s steal around his dying bed. 
The golden plumage of the sun hath tied; 
But heaven's light illumes the pilgrim's room 
And gilds the pathway to the dreary tomb. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 79 



Tlio patient partner of his toils and tears. 
Reveals iier piuit U[) grief in siglis and tears. 
While weeping ehiUlren gather round the l>ed. 
Kind ansels gently soothe the aching head. 

With faith undimm'd, he nears the rugged shore 
Where dying tempests cease their sullen roar, 
And boldly poising like an angel's flight, 
He cleaves the darkness to the fount of light. 

With steady hand he leans upon his (fod. 
And feels the statf, the scepter and the rod; 
While Calvary's crimson stream of l)lood 
Divides the waves of Jordan's turbid liood. 

Hark! from the darkness comes a thrilling cry, 
''Preach Jesus to a world that else must die; 
Lift up the cross, ye doul)ting ones, and see 
That Christ alone will give us victory.'' 

''Farewell," he said, and then his heart was still, 
No throbbing pulse to say that he was ill. 
No hectic flush play'd o'er his bloodless cheek. 
No gasping breath to move his tongue to speak. 

Up to the throne, his ransom'd spirit flies 
And joins the dazzling armies of the skies, 
And to the king immortal renders i)raise, 
AVith harp attun'd to heaven's sweetest lays. 

Lei heaven :uid earth attest the solemn trust 
Whiih lingers near this i-old and lifeless dust. 
And may each heart resolve with heaven's light. 
To die contiMiding for the Truth ami Right. 




80 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



^IIEN MEN SEE .spirituul life in these outward oh- 
, J,. servances, without a primal, internal outliow from 
the heart of Christ, it is as if they would attempt to 
})unip tlie life-fiuids into the dry and broken stalk of profession, 
or breathe life into a dead l)ody. The soul that trusts in this 
mirage of the desert will tind no bright oasis amid the burn- 
ino" sands where the faintino- heart may be girded for the toil- 
some journey. No verdant landscapes; no Hashing cascades; no 
sweet-scented flowers; no fruited palms will ever grace the 
gloomy pathway of this lonely traveler. Duty to him will be 
written across the tiery crest of Sinai and trem1>le in the crash- 
ing l)()lts of angered Deit}-. The gates of his prison never 
swing open and his chafing manacles were never melted with 
the voice of })ardon. Hugging his fetters he looks through the 
grated l)ars of his dungeon and fears to step forth into the lib- 
erty of Christ lest the sunlight of (iod should blind his eyes 
and destroy his love for his pallet of straw and the cobwel)l)ed 
prison of his starving soul. Hunger makes him fretful and be- 
ligerent. War is in his eye. Starvation prepares for blood. 
The scanty sustenance of his crust leads him to the husks of 
conflict. He wields the theological dagger with the dexterity 
of an exi)ert, and rejoices in the swmging curves of his ecclesi- 
astical tomahawk. No wonder. He lacks the living bread 
which comes from heaven, and the i)angs of his starvation tind 
legitimate expression in his sanguinary deportment. 



A TRUE DREAM OF FHTY YEARS. 

O, restk'ss heart! wing back thy flight 

And count the milestones fleeting by, 
Which like the dying stars of night 

Fade but to live and ne\'er die; 
Here, standing on this mountain [)t^ak, 

CrowuM with the diadem of years, 
I hear a myriad voices speak, 

The cloven tongues of hopes and fears. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 81 



A mother's sparklinu:, fond blown eyes 

Bend o'er the stranger with delight, 
While through \\K\y heart a glad siirprise, 

Swept like a tempest kissetl bv light; 
O, mother! thou art slee})ing now, 

1 must not wake thy slumbers here, 
An angel's hand will touch thy brow 

When Death's dark night shall disappear, 

O, years of childhood! sweet and pun^ 
Untainted with the stingr of shame. 

Why oould uot all thy hopes endured 
Antl bloom eternally the same; 

Ah, springtime! all th}' flowers fade, 
And summer wilts thy l)eauty low, — 

Frost revels in the sunless shade — 
Death sleeps beneath a garb of snow. 

The morning dawns in mimic gold. 

The plowboy's song awakes the hills. 
The hunter's thrilling tale is told, 

And Nature's music swells and thrills. 
Like lightning, arteries of life 

Shoot swiftly through a heart of tire, 
Until the burnished glow of strife 

Reveals the })ris()n of dcsiie. 

Ambition robM in harndess garb 

Struck ev'ry inn)ulsc of the soul. 
Where quiv'ring on the burning barb. 

Their visions surg'd without control; — 
Uiit, like tlu! eagle i)oisM in air. 

Thought leaves its fi-athcrM ncsi to rise. 
Where hills and vales look wondrous fair, 

The carpet of the eai-tli and skies. 



(> 



82 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



So Fancy strung her golden harp, 

And pointed to the flashing goal, 
Which rose in vision clear and sharp. 

The refuge of the weary soul; 
Alas! what pangs of anguish came 

When Hope lay buried in the dust. 
The myrtle twin\l a hoHow name, 

BedeckVl with canker, mokl -and rust. 

O, manhood! day of dreaming past. 

Thy chains are but the gild of fame. 
The soul awakes to find at hist. 

That crowns of sin are jewtdM shame. 
Then like a mother's whisperM word. 

To sle('[)ing child upon her F)reast, 
God's still small voice of peace is heard, 

And then the weary heart has rest! 

Rest for the soul, O Christ! in thee, 

Here by the manger and the cross. 
My death reveals Thy life to me. 

And buys my glory with Thy loss. 
Captivity has now been led 

Beside thy chariot wheels on high, 
Life throbs amid the sleeping dead, 

And thrones appear to ev'ry eye. 

Here life begins — the past is dead, 

Dead in the toml) of pulseless years, 
HushM be the spirit, cold and tied. 

Veiled in the mists of falling tears; 
Henceforth. the dawn of heaven l)reaks, 

And music peals from every tongue, 
O, tuneful melody that makes 

The souTs bright guests forever young. 



_9j 



GOLDEX UI.EAXIXCS. 83 



Now broken hearts tire lifted up, 

Now roses planted in the way, 
Now Iii)5» that (haiuM dark sorrow's cup 

Are taugld to sing the night away; 
O, hU^sscd lifel these yeais how sweet, 

Good Father! touch tiieir harps of gold. 
And may their music rise to greet 

The hopes now shcKcrM in Thy fold. 

With face uplifted toward the light 

AVhich sifting through the clouds, comes down, 
I watch the shadows in their Hig'ht 

Until the morning wears its crown; 
The sun descends and night is near. 

But darkness brings tln^ stars to view. 
Ah! sleep will make the vision clear 

When God's sweet kiss makes all thiuirs new. 

Welcome! ye dark untrodden years. 

If my dear Father's loving hand 
Is still outstretch'd t'.irough mists and tears, 

No fear can chill His wise command; 
Life is His gift, and when he calls. 

The prisoii'd spirit linds its wings, 
The wall of clay, then shiv'ring, f;dls, 

^Vnd heaven crowns us priests and kings! 



^ 



VERY MAN to do his best must be himself. A\'hat- 
%% ever prevents this must be sna})})ed as Samson broke 
the fetters with which he was bound. Swaddlins bands 
for babies, but freedom for men! Kach tree grows for itself 
and occupies its own place in the forest. Moreover, the tree 
with the roughest exterior does not always have the worst in- 
terior, neither does a smooth surface always indicate health 
within. Ketincd errors are more (hmgerous than crude ones. 



84 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



The stamp of learning may be the trademark of Satan. When 
we lose our individuality in the arl)itrary stream of scholastic 
imperialism, we may lose God in the supine affiliation and 
brandish the husks of nominal culture as the trophies of our 
superiority. The darkest deeds of the Inquisition had the sanction 
of learning. The fetters of lire encircling Jerome of Prague 
and Cranmer, and Kidley, bore the perfume of the professor's 
gown, and were taken from the text Ijooks of the most profound 
scholasticism. 

Com modus, a Roman emperor, sliced off the noses of his 
subjects for a joke, but the royalty of the perpetrator of such 
cruelty did not prevent the suffering of his noseless vassals. 
The thumbscrew of retined cruelty, though polished to dazzling 
brightness, will still draw blood! It is tyranny for learning to 
usurp dominion over the souls of men, and it is slavery to 
crown it with the attril)utes of God! The kinship of the race 
is not founded on birth, condition, up[)ortunity nor money; and 
those who claim that it is — the blind moles who dig theii- way 
up into the sunlight of popular favor — betray a pride begotten 
of superior advantages which is as unmanly as it is unjust. In 
church and state men must be free. Religion is the handmaid 
of liberty, not the dungeon of despots. 



THE DYING CHILD'S ADIEU. 

Meet me mother, meet me mother. 
In that tearless world of peace, 

Where I go to join another. 

One whose love can never cease. 

Do not weep that I am going 
To that spirit hmd of bliss; 

I am happy, mother, knowing 
That there is no home in this! 



aOLDKX GLEANINGS. 85 



Why should I desire to wander 

Thronjxli this barren worhl of care^ 

When the sniilinj; cherubs yonder 
Beckon a kind welcome there. 

Tliough thy tears are sore and trying 
To my young and tender h(^•^rt, 

Yet 1 cannot think of sighing — 
We shall meet no more to part! 

There no sickness, pain, or sorrow 
Shall disturb our peaceful rest, 

This is night — sunshine to-morrow — 
With the holy, sweetly blest. 

Listen mother! hear their" singing 
In the shining choir above, 

While the angel hosts are flinging 
Round us messages of love! 

Soon these pangs will all l>e o'er. 
Here's my sad, my last adieu ; 

Farewell mother! from that shore, 
I shall look and long for 3 ou. 



^^'HE BELLS of resurrection peal forth the coming of a 
^ Vr hi'ighter dawn. Th(^ videttes of the coming arm}'- have 
^ already swept })ast us. The clattering hoofs of their 
white coursers have broken the slumbers of our unbelief; while 
the startling l)attle cry, with the tones of thunder, bursts forth, 
Behold he cometh with clouds! The world's Redeemer, radi 
ant with the halo of resurrection, has snappc(l the rusted bolls 
of the grave; and with his foot planted on the neck of death, 



86 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



has l)nilt his throne with the broken shackles of the imprisoned 
millions. The power that opened the tomb of Joseph will open 
ours. The same hand will push back the bolt of death. We 
rise from human weakness to the majesty of omnipotence. 
Where our poor philosophy staggers, C^hrist becomes the atlas 
supporting the universe. The sleeping body will require the 
omnific touch of deity as nuich as the soul dead in trespasses 
and sins. The rising Jesus was the seal of finished redemption 
and our resurrection will lie the signal end of sorrow and the 
herald of immortality. 



FAREWELL. 



How sad is the heart 

When loving friends part!' 
When to meet no mortal can tell; 

'Tis then that the tear 

Has a voice we all hear, 
The jewelled hai'p of farewell! 

When sympathy's arm 

Protects us from harm. 
And calumny cannot weather, 

The ties of that love 

Distilled from above. 
And binds our warm hearts together. 

Then joyfully sweet 

Ts the pleasure we meet 
Amid afrecti(m's bright spt'U, 

Ne'er thinking of care, 

Clouds, gloom, or despair. 
Till we hear the soft whisper, farewell, 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 87 



Oh I who would not weop? 

Where the dear ones sleep. 
And tlu^ birds sing sweetly and well; 

'Tis a heart that ne'er felt 

Which no sorrow can melt, 
Nora sigh in the pang of farewell! 

Yet si ill there/'s a rest 

'Plial lurks in the breast 
Adversity's frown can't dispel; 

'Tis the crown of our life. 

When its glory and strife 
Ends care in the bliss of farewell. 



OD WILL WATCH over our last resting i)lace with 
iT/'^^ a sleepless, vigilant eye, :uid at last will call us forth 
"^^^ amidst the splendors of ininiortali/ed bodies. We 
should look u]i, inasmuch as our redemption draweth nigh. 
Painless bodies! Tearless l)odies! Unwearied bodies! Who 
can measure the ecstatic rythm of the resurrection poeni^ It 
is the weddinff march when heaven and earth are married! It 
is the divine symphony evoked from the heart thro!) of im- 
mortal it}'! 



THE NATURAL BRIDGE. 

Thou mighty Maker of the earth and sky! 
Here on these rocky tablets may be seen. 
Thy mandate wrote beneath thy flashing eye, 
To leave its mark on ledge or fringe of green. 
These rocks unloose their Hinty tongues in prayer, 
And silently their honry nltar r:iis(^ 
AVhile bridging o'er the di/zy heights of air, 
In quiet glory and majestic praise. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



This temple built without a human hand. 
Adorned and garnished Avith an artisfs skill, 
Gives back old Nature's echoes, stern and grand, 
When keys are touched by more than human will. 
The vestibule lies open far bek)w, 
And rock facade springs out in cragged dome 
Through flinty aisles, the dashing waters flow, 
And whisper to the heart of heaven and home! 

A cloud f)f steeples hold the forest bells. 
In stunted and uneven growth they rise. 
They tremble while the thundering music swells. 
The blended homage of the earth and skies! 
High overhead the lofty arches sprmg 
From granite colonnades, serenely grand, 
\Miere frescoed glory in the breezes swing, 
Toucird b}' the pencil of a Master's hand. 

The frinffinc: eaves in beauteous forms of life 
Hang o'er the rugged and the clifl'like walls 
As if the rocks and ferns had met in strife 
To lap their bloodless trophies on these halls. 
No windows stain'd l)yflne fantastic art, 
Twist their weird forms before the rays of light 
To bar the Sun of glory from the heart, 
And wrap God's temple in the shades of night! 

O, hoary temple! wrought in Nature's forge. 
Thy flinty cliffs lead to a gorgeous throne. 
And quiet reverence smiles from ev'ry gorge. 
In chiseled grandeur on thy heart of stone! 
Thou standest in thy majesty serene. 
An altar reared by God's eternal plan, 
And from each niche and i)illar may be seen 
Rebuke for every prayerless heart of man! 



Oor.DitN GL^AN/XGS. 89 



i, i O PKIXCKLY monumental pile can ever reach the sub- 
lime altitudo of that un^^citish devotion which dazzles 
'^ ^^ tiie eye of the soul with the ertulijent splendors of men- 
tal illumination. Insens;il»> nnu-hlc marks the dust of our dead, 
l)ut mental treasures— the heirlooms of tlu) divinity within us 
— mark the steps of the race toward heaven. The}' are the 
prayers, tears, sympathies and money of holy devotion, cr^'s- 
talized in massive walls and heautitied grounds. The bright- 
est monument ever kissed by the light of (iod, is not the glist- 
ening gi-anite which tells prosperity our fame, but tlu^ slumber- 
ing genius of living men. which has been awMkcned by our 
generosity, and lives in the thrilling heart throbs of humanity 
when we are dead. 



TIIK LACKING HEART. 

"Wliat must 1 do," a young man cried, 
•'Keep the Conmiandments," Christ replied: 
"These have I kept from early youth. 
What lack I then to know the truths" 
Then o'er that boasted life, 

Free from one sad regret, 
Christ thing this keen rebuke, 

"One thing thou lackest yet." 

Ye. who would boast of works, beware. 
Beneath the tinsel and the glare 
May lurk the foolish, sinful pride 
Which turns the Nazarene aside. 
The crown belongs to Him 
With all its jewels set. 
We must adore oi- hear, 

"One thing thou lackest yet. '' 



90 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Before the Lord Jehoviih now, 
Let ev'ry heart in meekness how, 
The Judge now at the (h^or will find 
The hidden idols of mankind. 

Who, who, shall bear tlic test 

When God and men haA'e met? 
Shall 1 then Ikvu- the words, 

"One thing- tlion lackest yet?" 




^ ONESTY IS the manly thing, born of the Spirit of God, 
and not the Delphic artifice of the monnteback. It 
never deceives the victim intended for the slaughter, 
but stops the procession squarely on the road to the place of 
sacrifice! It gives its l)lows straight from the shoulder in the 
broad daylight, instead of skulking in the darkness to strike 
its victim unperceived. It does not play the Pharisee by clan- 
destinely manipulating men like puppets, and then affect entire 
ignorance of the detestable proceeding. 



Poem read at the laying ({f the corner stone of Flndhn/ College. 

Rising Temple! speed thy glory, 

God has set thy pillars fair, 
'Neath the gild of song or story. 

In the secret place of prayer. — 
Thou art but the milestone speaking 

To the rushing flood of years. 
As we hasten thou art keeping 
* Record of our hopcvs and fears. 

By thy flinty dial marking 

But the morning hour of life. 
We would weigh the freight embarking 

On the path of bloodless strife; 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 91 



From this profacc nx)nmnont<il. 
We behold the coming book, 

Moral, clas.sic, sentimental. 

Into which our children look. 

AVe are passing to the river 

Whence no pilgrim e'er returns, 
Each an arrow from (iod's quiver. 

Flying as the lightning burns: — 
Soon these hearts will cease their beating. 

Like the waves upon the shore. 
When the ocean tide retreating, 

Fill the pulsing streams no more. 

As we go, our benediction, 

Moulded in these massive walls, 
W'elcomes all without restriction, 

To the wealth of classic halls. 
Here our fathers' hopes are center'd. 

Here our ^-outhful gaml)ols meet, 
Where our wrinkled age has entcr'd, 

There is room for sprightly feet. 

Lay we deep, this broad foundation, 

Deeper than its corner stone. 
In the heart-love of creation. 

And our human kind alone; 
Kindred speech and dej)th of feeling, 

Gathered here in hallow'd store, 
Like the angel whispers stealing. 

From the near celestial shore. 

Courage Itrothers! Christ is Founder 
Corner-stone, and chief of all, — 

Tom])le of the soul! profounder 
Than the measur'd palace wall. 



92 COLDEM CLEAMINGS. 



When He comes the darkness fleeth. 
And the true light shineth then, 

Only when the blind eye seeth. 
He becomes the light of men. 

May He rift the clouds above us, 

And the stars come blazing through. 
Like the angel eyes that love us, 

Marshaird on the fields of blue; 
Then our signal notes of warning 

Will disperse prophetic light; 
And the kindling blush of morning 

Will enwrap retreating night. 

Here we stand — our wisdom dieth. 

And our hands their cunning kill, 
When we leave the God who trieth. 

Every work of grace or skill. 
Light of the world! can we foro;et 

The sweet paths Thy feet have trod? 
Sweet Galilee and Olivet, 

Still point out the way to God. 

Faith ascends her living mountain 

Luminous with truth and light. 
And beholds this sparkling fountain 

Glittering in her dazzled sight! 
Thousands from these halls of learning 

Go, the foes of life to meet. 
Some to keep their fires burning. 

Some to quench them in defeat. 

Let ambition curl) its ten)per 

In the thought, we always learn. 

When the mind without distemper. 
Longs for lessons bold and stern; 



GOLDEN GLEAXINGS. 1)3 



But i\\v pigmy hruin is sated 

With the classic pride set free, 

When its owner, graduated, 
Dwarfs in l)hink nonentity! 

Upward still! while life is given 

Trumpet blast! that stirs the heart, 

This our motto, until heaven 
Flings its golden gates apart! 

Life is but the l)udding beauty 
Of the fruitage yet to I)e, 

And each holy step a duty 
Leading to eternity. 

Holy Father! Lord of heaven! 

King of saints, we conic to Thee, 
May th}^ glory here be given 

ClothM in awful majesty! 
Seal this tem})le now forever. 

Flood it with thy Spirit's light. 
Let it perish. Father, never, 

Gird it with eternal might. 



«i|r IGHT IS the prolilic origin of life tmd happiness. It 
Ih^ wakens the potential energy of mere existence; illumin- 
^C^,» ates the dark realm of intellectual night; and sprinkles 
the literal and moral heavens of creation with the stars of 
promise. It is the angel hand opening the gates of the morn- 
ing; the breath of God kindling the fires of noon; and the artist 
of eternity painting the roseate hues of the sunset when the 
golden king falls asleep behind the western horizon. 



04 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



THE GOD OF LOVE. 

OGod! how awful i.s thy name 

AVhen girt with lightining wings of flame, 

And pealing thunders hurl along 

The chorus of Jehovah's song; 

Then mountains tremble with aflVight, 

And clouds and darkness veil the sight 

While wliirlwinds mark the flery path 

That kindles with his l)urning wrath. 

But hark! a whisper soft and low, 
Breathes fragrance o'er a world of woe; 
Inlinite love has kissetl the rod 
Plucked from the bleeding hand of God. 
The tempest blast has passed away, 
The Star of Jacob hails the day, 
A still small voice is heard to fall 
Like dew upon the heart of gall. 

The blessed Father deigns to hear 
The language of each groan or tear, 
While Mercy lingers near His throne 
To make our pressing wants her own; 
O God! as children let us feel 
The love which Jesus can reveal, 
Let sin\s destructive power cease, 
And Faith put on her crown of peace. 

No more, as autumn leaves are driven, 
We fly Ijefore the frown of heaven. 
But Jesus waits our cries to bear 
Up to the King on wings of prayer; 
No more. his name is roljed in storm 
With vengeance flashing round his form. 
But written I)y a heaverdy pen. 
It glows upon the hearts of men! 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 95 



O Mercy! why such love a.s this? 
Why touch our lives with Pity's kis.s? 
Why lift our souls from nuture's night 
And clothe their sorrows with thy light? 
An answer from the skies comes down, 
'Tis graven on each victors crown, 
'Tis whispered in the courts abovi', 
'-My child, my child, thy (lod is love!" 



j^-EATH CANNOT rol) us of our jewels. He is simply 
the watchman on the walls of eternity. His icy breath 
cannot chill the warm pulsations of love. We enter 
his domain bearing our treasures with us. He has not the 
power to strangle a single virtue, despoil a kind word, or up- 
root a true ati'ection; l)ut bla/ing out their glory in a purer at- 
mosphere, these golden strands of life encircle the throne of 
Love, and cast over the sombre realties of earth-life the serene 
luster of undying hope! 



DEATH. 

Oh! listen to the tolling bell, 

Hark! what a solemn sound; 
ft is the melancholy knell 

Which mortals caimot drown. 
Its notes are on the summer air 

And winter's })iercing blast; 
Conveys the voice to old and fair, 

•*We all must die at last." 
'J'he rich, the poor, the great and small 

Must grapple with this foe, — 



96 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



AVhen peasants low, and monarchs fall, 

Can we avert his blow? 
Ah no! how soon the time will come 

When life's turmoil shall cease, 
And lips now speaking will be dumb, 

TouchVl with a calm release; 
Some friend indeed may drop a tear 

Of sorrow where we sleep. 
But e'en those whom we hold dear 

Will soon forget to weep. 
And thus we live and thus we die, 

Forgotten soon we'll be; 
The weeping eye will soon l)e dry 

And sparkling glow with glee. 



I^UR WORK will soon be done. Our quickened pulses 
r- are beatintj the funeral march of dvino- kino;doms. 
Humanity is reaching forth its withered hand that we 
may touch it with the magic of our healing. We are sweeping 
onward to the l)lazing light of nnclouded day, each word and 
act a scar on the face of Time. The recording angel is watch- 
ing our weary march with an interest we do not feel. The 
pattering feet of the coming millions are sounding in our ears. 
From this lonely Patmos Ave see the swelling waters about ns, 
but we also behold the opening heavens and hear the voice of 
God as the sound of a trumpet! We fear and tremble until our 
vision catches a glimpse of the mountains filled with horses 
and chariots! God is here! No prophet of tire tilled with the 
electric currents of divine love is needed to show us our duty. 
The eternity of the past and the eternity of the future clasp 
hands in heavenly wedlock where we stand, amid the blazing 
torches of the nineteenth century! Service to man is fealty to 
(Jod! Let us lay the aching head of sick humanity on the 
bosom of our helpfulness, and the stars in their courses will 
light for us, and the God of Jacol) will be our refuge forever! 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 97 



A BRAND FROM THE BURNING. 

A home, encircled witli the arms of love. 

Lay nestled 'neuth the maple and the vine, 
Its russet glory shaming clouds above, 

Is woven with the ringlets of the pine: 
Here matted on the cold and cheerless roof, 
A robe of beauty, cut from nature's woof 
Is thrown across the shingles dark and bare 
To shield the inmates from the piercing air. 

Here dwelt a peaceful family of four, 

The parents and two children bound in ties. 
Which like the rocky beach along the shore. 

Rolls back the storm until its fury dies. 
A son and daughter grace the Hying years 
Which on the whitening crown of age appears, 
The son with stalwart strength and manhood blest, 
The other soothes the dreams of care to rest. 

The father walks erect in manhood's might, 
Imbued with lofty mien and candor known. 

Honest and true he believes that rugged right 

Should not succumb to titled thieves or throne. 

Withal, though moral, yet he seldom bows 

Before his Maker to record his vows. 

No secret prayer is ever heard to rise 

From that bold heart unused to sacrifice. 

Sometimes he prays Ix'fore a treasur'd guest 
Or reads his Bible while his children hear, 

But never finds the joys of conscious rest 

Which through the glowing lines of truth appear; 

Unknown to him his children look to see 

His hollow pretense rise to certainty. 

For while he thinks to cheat his soul and theirs, 

'Tis only his in mask of formal prayers. 

7 



98 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



The mother, though of earthly thought and cast, 
And wrapped with all the cares of mother-life, 

Yields all her soul to heaven's fiercest blast, 
Nor deems her God unequal to the strife. 

In Him she casts the anchor of her trust 

And soars above this sordid vale of dust, 

Obedient always with a calm delight, 

Her soul is plumed with rapture for its flight. 

Like Mary, looking for her absent friend. 

She cannot bear the thought which absence brings. 
But hurries where her vivid faith will lend 

The majesty of flight on noiseless wings! 
There like the ivy clasping shrub or stone 
She grasps the altar as her earthly throne, 
And sorrow blinded by the god of night ^ 

Puts on the hues of gladness, joy and light. 

Oft while the world is wrappM in slumber deep, 

She steals away to grasp her Father's hand 
While other eyes are closM in thoughtless sleep. 
Hers mark the glories of the borderland; — 
Beside the flashing light of altar fires 
Where cries and tears betoken her desires. 
Her arm of faith begirts her children's fate. 
And trembling, holds the heavy precious weight. 

The daughter, like her mother, early sought 

The Pearl of price, which held in close embrace, 
Dispell'd the darkest hour sin had brought 

And drove the shadows from her glowing face; — 
Like sunlight glancing o'er the rippling wave, — ■ 
Or flowers kissing some dishonor'd grave, — 
Or song of birds after the cold and the rain, 
So mov'd this child — the balm for ev'ry pain. 



GOLDEN gleanings: 99 



Modest, !>he could not mock with ])nidish jest 
The virtuous carriage of the good :md true, 
Uncouscious of her worth she cheerM ;md blest 
The hearts which from her inspiriition drew. 
Not dazed with giddy tinsel, })ride and show. 
Nor Fashion's puppet in this world of woe, 
She cast her eyes within the rended vail. 
And walk'd a queen in sorrow's fiercest gale. 

Oh, that the foolish virgins here might learn 

That ev'ry altar of the })roud and vain. 
Holds the hot tires that rise to tlash and burn 

Like beacons on the shores of eniUess pain! 
Methinks that then, with loathing and disgust, 
Ati'righted l)y the cancer and the rust, 
These dupes of Fashion, now repentant grown. 
Would hate the harvest which their pride had sown. 

The son — proud of his lineage and cast, 

Lean'd towards the father's cold, imperious mood. 
Too strong in self to weather life's tierce blast, — 

His genius draped became exceeding rude. 
Dark with the moss-grown tightning clasp of years. 
His life — a flinty monumenf appears, 
Cold, passionless, like granite 'mid the waves, — 
A barren rock within a sea of graves! 

With hope and ardor rending ev'ry vail. 

The young man grasps an eager father's hand. 
His farewell, trend)ling like a dying wail. 

Pierces the mother's heart and last command: 
Away to school upon the rushing train. 
His future glory blinds his hcurt lo p:iin. 
Home is forgotten 'mid the dazzling light 
Which like the lightning rends the vault of night. 



100 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Near where the ocean tides in grandeur roll, 

And smite the- rocky beach with angry surge, 
Where sea foam dashes out upon the shoal 

And softens ev'ry billow's painful dirge; 
There, like an ancient temple old and gray, 
Rising to greet the traveler on his way. 
The sentinel of learning — massive, high. 
Towers in state toward the starry sky. 

Here this young heart imprisoned in its cell 

ThrobbVl with the pulses of new born fires, — 
And reason wakening 'neath the magic spell 

Adored her sceptre with intense desires; — 
Ambition held the goad and tightning rein, — 
Fame nerv'd the hot and feverish brain — 
No thought on wings was sufterVl there to roam, 
Nor reach its weary hand to those at home. 

Fame! what a chang-inor oroddess this to l)lind 

The eyes that cheer the longing, hungry soul. 
Then leave the starving and immortal mind 

To famish where the waves of plenty roll. — 
Home, friends forgotten, what are these to fame? 
But dust and ashes Avhich obscure a name, 
The dusky clouds which hide inspiring stars 
And silently reveal our prison bai-s! 

Beneath the sylvan and embower'd shade 

Where tressy mosses weep the pearly dew. 
And giant oaks with mistletoe array'd 

Shut out the light of heaven's azure blue; 
The student, with his l)ook, in eager zest 
Courted the flame-lit clouds which lined the west, 
And sought to steal from fading light of day 
The boon from Labor's stern and rugged way, 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 101 



Sometimes at midnight with a flickering lamp, 
Ho pored and conned o'ei' deep })hik)S()phy, 

Anil though his room was chill, and dim and damp. 
He pined not for his native liberty; 

He wore his fetters with a martyr's joy 

P^agcr to furnish his hot brain employ 

That labor mifjlit l)e";et his sure renown. 

And lead his vision to a throne and crown. 

Cool breezes fann'd the dark and massive walls 

And sunshine crept between the matted leaves, 
Fretting at times the cold, sepulchral halls. 

Like weakness armorM with its futile greaves; 
However blithe fond nature seem'd to be, 
She could not rend the unseen chains we see, 
Nor could she lift the dark and lowering cloud 
Which fame seem'd knitting for a robe and shroud! 

The teacher Ijore a form of classic mould. 
Tall and elastic with a Grecian face, — 
His ste[) majestic as a king and bold. 

Won admiration by its .modest grace. — 
His eyes were like the eagle's, when on high 
He swoops and curves his victims to descry, 
Then darts with certain aim upon the fold. 
And screams to find his talons pierce and hold! 

His locks were tinged with streaks of bleaching gray 
And curl'd al)out his temples like a crown, 

Encircling thought beneath its gentle sway, 
Proud of its subject and unsought renown; 

With quick and penetrative glance he saw 

The origin of force and ev'r}' law. 

Then proudly in his hand aloft he l)ore 

The trophies won by his exhaust less lore. 



102 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



He plum'd his science for its airy flight, — 

And walk'd a Titan — far beyond the stars, 
And hokling all the quiv'ring l)olt8 of light, 

Defied the embattled flames of angry Mars: 
He delv'd in mines or ploughed the boiling waves 
In dalliuAnce with the truth his Maker gave, 
Yet in the heavens above nor from the sod 
Comes there a voice to speak to him of God! 

His soul is dead though fairy visions rise 

To clothe the phantom of his anxious dreams, 
Fondly he hopes to gain the growing prize 

When life shall be in truth what it now seems; 
The grave to him is but the welcome goal 
Where nature leaves the dead, dissolving soul. 
The end of mortals and the heavenly plan 
That pourd its treasures on the path of man. 

No future ever meets his longing gaze. 

No Christ, no Bil)le in that starless night, 
No sunlight breaking through the dismal haze, 

But gates of pearl are hidden from his sight; 
The mystic rivor with its whitening foam, 
Is all his trembling heart has known of home, 
And though a master yet he sighs and grieves 
To hear his requiem in the autumn leaves! 

He swings the ])urning censer of his wit 

Around the shrines and temples of his god. 
And proudly shows that neither chains or pit 

Are hanging on his wild, capricious nod; — 
With leering eye and bland sarcastic grin. 
He laughs at heaven's punishment of sin. 
And deems the Bible fit for dupes alone 
Who have not yet their pinafores outgrown! 



GOLDEN CLEANINGS. lOJ 



Moses, to him was but a charlatan, — 

A quack in hiw and weak in history, — 
A meteor tlashing in the tiery van, 

Wiiich UmI old Israel through the open sea. 
To him the truth is wrote in fairer lines — 
No need of Moses where the sun of science shines. 
For Revelation cloth'd in scenes of blood 
Must yield the palm to philosophic mud! 

Thus looking from his tow'ring, dizzy perch 
He glances at the crawling worms below, 
And rudely gloats to find his patient search. 

End in tlie certain gilded cup of woe; 
Proud of the gilt that glitters on his toy 
He dances like some thoughtless, silly boy 
When holding up his present tills Avitli pride, 
AVithout a thought of looking once inside. 

The student bows before the teacher's mind 

As shrubs are l>ent I)efore the howling storm. 
Or vines with clamb'ring instincts tirmly wind 

Their creepers round the oak of massive form. 
With perfect faith he treads the darkening path 
That shrouds its light in fears of commg wrath. 
Because another has walk'd there before 
And saw no chains nor heard the thunders roar. 

Thus like a pitclier tilled to brim and lip. 

The young man sports the foam that hides his sin. 
And wonders why creation does not sip 

The noxious wine which poisons all within. 
He does not understand how men can |)ass 
This fountain head of gciiiiis. which alas. 
Pours out its sweetness on the desert sand 
To leave its verdure witherM in his hand. 



104 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



He thinks all men are blind, and diimli. and cold, 

With eyes and ears and yet inanimate 
Without discernment of the true and bold, 

Amidst the signs of destiny and fate. 
To him, without a Bible, all is clear, 
Since reason cannot bow to God or fear, — 
His vessel steerVl without a map or chart. 
Will never strike the hidden rocks or part. 

He deems the Moslem with his pious fraud, 

An improved christian with another name, 
And Romish cross, or rudely sculptur'd god 

Are all in theologic guise the same. 
The worshipers of snakes, of stars, or sun. 
Combine the superstitious triumphs won. 
And seek to force from ponderous beam or mote 
Their relics down each willing, gaping throat I 

He looks with pity on his mother's prayer 

Asham'd to own this lineage of life, 
And yet her words of anxious love and care. 

Like golden links, are chafing to his strife, 
For though he can forget his mother's God, 
And thinks devotion all deceit and fraud. 
There will creep up around his freezing heart 
The tendrils which his mother deign'd to start. 

He feels the pressure of her loving hand 

At evening when the fretting world's at rest. 
And good-night whispers from the better land 

Are moaning from that heart so pure and blest; 
These sometimes tear his wounded spirit's pride, 
And then anon with silvery step they glide 
Like sunbeams shooting through the misty gray. 
And kiss quite silently the clouds away ! 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 105 



Merged in study, his feelings turn'd aw:iy 

From all the past to chill again with dread. 
For though his mother's words had sometimes sway, 
They walliVl liUe living ghosts among the dead — 
Too ardent in his l)urning <{uest for fame, 
He would not mar the glory of his name 
By yielding to the melting mood in school. 
And write himself a nursling or a fool! 

He delves into his Greek and Latin roots. 

And looks with pride to graduation day. 
When his great name, in magic color shoots, 

Across the nehlous scroll that skirts his way; 
With all the hot, concentered pride of years. 
Buoyant with hope, and strangely reft of fears. 
He presses toward the laurel and the crown, 
Sure that success will lift iiim to renown. 

The day dawns brightly, and the cheering crowd 

Gathers about our hero while he speaks, 
And huzzas ringing, linger long and loud 

Around the broken gorge, or cragged peaks; 
Trembling with excitement, hope and pride. 
He treads the rostrum to the teacher's side. 
And from the hand that moulded all his thought 
Receiv'd the seal which patient work had wrought. 

The student now no more — the man is seen 
Awaking from the l)ristling rack of toil, 

With limbs astir — like Samson when his spleen 
Would seek for strength without his hairy coil; 

With scornful pride upon his grinning lips. 

And culture hanging on his finger tips, 

He casts his classic mantle, erudite, 

Around each lesser mote in reach or sitjht. 



106 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



The battle now is o'er — the fight is won, 

The garments rollVl in blood have passed away, 
The weary hours of pain and work are done, 

Unbroken peace henceforth shall hold her sway: — 
No lances now to break, no night to l)rave. 
No aching brow to conjure up the grave. 
No gloomy spectres trooping through the l)rain 
To leave their foot prints in the fire of pain. 

While gathering up his little earthly store 

Our hero sits awhile to meditate, — 
As scattered o'er his room on bed or floor 

His trinkets lie in helpless, careless state. 
"That theadbare coat was once a mother's gift. 
How oft it speaks and darkening shadows lift, 
StitchM with each thread, each band and seam 
Her smiles are woven like an angel's dream! 

"That pair of shoes she bought me years ago. 
And memory w^ould still her words repeat, 
'My boy, remember as you onward go. 

To make straight paths for l)usy, youthful feet.' " 
"•That book ray sister placM within my hand — 
How white it is! unsoil'd upon the stand. 
Ah! did she know what I have read, I fear 
Her sweet eyelash would drink a sister's tear! 

"There is the Bible too, an obscure book, 

Antique, unused, in leather covers bound. 
How can I scan its leaves when ev'ry look 

Will clothe ray mother's love with awe profound; 
From ev'ry page there creeps across my soul 
An unseen hand which seeks to lead — control. 
And when I look beyond this printed guide, 
Between the lines I see her glances chide. 



GOLD^K GLEANIXGS. 107 



"Tut! play the fool at last when Tin alone — 

I'm knighted — .spunM with classics — why all this? 
Here's ray diploma — title to a throne! 

Why condescend to note a mother's kissi' — 
I understand all mystery complete. 
And revelation writhes l)eneath my feet. — 
Could ev'ry stripling sec what I have seen. 
Our clearer sight would lend this ])riestly screen. 

''This universe, these worlds, these stars and sun 
Are playthings in a nimble school l)oy\s hand. 

Doubtless Protoplasm into atoms run. 
Have fell to racing over sea and land; 

And as they ran they grew and still Ihey grew, 

TemperM and shai)M l)y ev'ry wind that blew 

Until exhausted by their age and fright. 

They bleach'd today or vaulted into night! 

"Some cold and frigid as Icelandic snow, — 
Some melting igneous fuse with heat. — 

Some inanimate while others live to show 

The circles where the chances failM to meet. 

Some have wings to Hy, others legs to walk. 

And some grunt or bellow, while others talk, 

Yet it is very clear beyond a doubt 

This mongrel brood points nature's secret out." 

Thus ran this juiceless tongue, wild, terrific, 

Like Alpine torrent, heedless in its coiu'se. 
Supposing each drop calTd scientific, 

Would scent creation's secrets to their source. 
His glil) and splenic wit, but tipp'd the fool 
Just crawling from the glamour of the school, — 
Where flowers wilting on thec()ri)se of Fate. 

Are snatch'd as knockers to Life's prison gate! 



108 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Homeward at last, he turns his gladsome way, 

His souvenirs within his deep valise, 
Unconscious of the swiftly passing day, 

He contemplates with joy the sweet release; 
While evening shadows swept their fringe of gloom 
Across the stillness of his mother's room. 
He gently knocks as he had knocked l)efore, 
And trembling steps came gliding to the door. 

The mother proud to see his manl}^ form, 

So fondly hopes the heart has grown withal. 
That mind and body batter'd by the storm 

May hold her keen instincts in easy call. 
With woman's tenderness she sat and held 
His hand in hers as oft in days of eld, 
Her mother eyes with tearful rapture stirrYl 
Look'd up to drink the magic of each word. 

Alas! that flowers should bloom above the grave, — 

That thorns should still beset the f ram-ant rose 
And rocks lie buried 'neath the glassy wave, — 

Or thistles hide deep under fleecy snows. 
Ah! could we know the bitterness and pang 
That drops like poison from the viper's fang. 
O'er whelmed with the woes of coming years, 
Our hopes would die beneath the weight of tears. 

The son — with regal step and mien betrays 

The lordly struttings of the soul within, - 
For when his parents do not stop to praise, 

He deems their knowledge volatile and thin; 
He never learned that life as well as ))ook 
Holds treasures which we cannot overlook. 
And that the bud which closes for the night, 
Will wilt beneath the burning rays of light! 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 100 



Like bubbles chasVl before the driving blast — 

Or stricken deer, before the baying hounds, — 
Like fainting captives, who their fetters cast, 

Within the circle of their captor's grounds; 
So, this family, in crouching service came, 
To weave their homage with a stripling's fame, 
And with affection's arts, and fancies strung. 
Caught the decrees that fell from eye or tongue. 

Sometimes the mother slipped away to weep, 

And wonder'd why her thoughtless boy must reign. 
Like mewling kittens, waking from their sleep, 

To leave their mark, in throbl)ing lines of pain; 
To her, the dark enigma of his life 
Will not dissolve before her tearful strife. 
Dark, dark the cloud, which seals her anxious care. 
And grows this harvest, from the germ of prayer. 

Upon that l)reast his infant dimples lay. 

And his 3'oung life was drawn from that heart, — 
His ringlets falling on the smiles at play 

Would kiss the ruby childish lips apart; 
Then mirror'd in the mother's sparkling eyes, — 
Like sunbeam dancing o'er the western skies, 
Heaven's glory and future of her boy 
Would cast their beauty in her tears of jo}'! 

Alas! how man}' poison'd roots unseen 
Supply the inner life of those we love 

Unknown, until the hopeful fringe of green 
Is smitten l>y tiie lightnings from alcove; 

Then promis'd fruits will turn to ashen (hist. 

And tarnish'd glory pale to canker'd rust. 

Then fleeting visions hide in depths of shame 

To leave their magic in a hollow name. 



110 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Oiii' hero crowds his knowledge everywhere 
From things appjirent to the far remote, 
His mental scalpel keen to cut and pare 

Can sever priestly heads or skin a mote! 
He dances on the golden rim of doubt, 
And what he does not know throws bravely out, 
Supposing what his tongue or pen denies 
Will henceforth pass for scum of maudlin lies. 

Ahl shall we think that God will deign to speak 

Through aching bone and throl)bing, painful nerve, 
Is He not master of the strong and weak? 

And who can know the servant called to serve? 
We cannot always read the mystic lines 
^^'hich on the tablet of His wisdom shine. 
And could we know, the laws of time and sense 
Would light each cloud, however dark and dense. 

The ((uiv'ring bolt is held awhile unseen. 

As though mild heaven would the young man spare. 
Until with spear and sword of dazzling sheen 

He lifts his arm to God to curse and dare! 
Then quickly as the arrow leaves the bow 
The lance slid from the armory of woe, 
And He who Hush'd with anger, strength and pride, 
Lay })ale and pleading for a friend and guide. 

The fever clogged in net of nerve and vein 

Made tiery sluices through each ojien pore 
Until the body, soul and heated brain 

Seem'd blist'ring in Gehenna's open door! 
The tongue and lips consumed with parching thirst 
Are crack'd and peelM, i-cady to bleed and l)urst. 
While eyes with red and wild, unearthly glare 
In sunken sockets shine with lustrous stare. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. HI 



Tlu' feeble hands grow weaker day 1)V day. 

The cord-like sinews thread the llahhy Mesh. 
The veins in crooked windings tint thcur way 

In longing thirst for fountains strong and fresh; 
The voice with ghostly accents grates the ear, 
Tremulous a\ ith [)ain and sui)})ri'ss\i with fear, 
The grooved lines of tuiguish and despair 
Depict the l>roken hopes seen everywhere. 

Reason, the throne of this bed-ridden king 

IsnowusurpM by drunken, shapeless forms, 
Which reel and dance on hapless limb or wing 

Like feathers tloating on the l)reath of storms; 
Sometimes in wild delirium's awful fright. 
He thrills with screams llic loneliness of night. 
Then falls exhausted on his weary bed 
To clutch the throbbing tjMn[)les of his head. 

Thus days and weeks in sorrow pass away. 

With here ami there a lucid hour between. 
But not the glory of one entire day 

E'er pours its brightness on the dark'ning scene. 
Ah! what is life when shadows come and go 
Like phantoms lured to earth b}- human woe, 
And ev'ry cloud seems pregnant with the breath 
That sweeps with fury from the vale of death! 

With lonely vigils through each solemn night 

The patient watchers pass'd the hours away, 
How often longing for the gates of light. 

To swing wide open to the king of day! 
The awful stillness broken by the breeze 
Which moans in dirges through the leafics trees, 
vSeems like the chilling, creeping coils of gloom 
Protrudinjr fanjj-like horrors from the tond). 



112 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



The mother with a childish tenderness 

Vied with tiie daughter in her anxious care, 
Each mov'd with impulse high to soothe and bless 
The trembling confines of their dark despair: — 
The father seldom sees his dying boy, 
Since vultures feed upon his only joy, — 
And Jordan's waves without the ark or rod 
Seems dismal fording to the foe of God! 

Although he cannot help the dying child 

His mind recalls the teacher's classic lore. 
Who now, perchance, 'mid tempests fierce and wild. 

May find the harbor on the mystic shore; 
So with the daze of wand'ring, shooting stars, 
He leaps alward a passing train of cars, 
And with the next returning dawn of day 
He brings the teacher where the young man lay. 

The l)roken fever gave him cooler brain. 

And he could reason o'er the gloomy past. 
Though weak to fainting, yet his cruel pain 

Seem'd waning like the dying desert blast; 
His l)right eyes beam'd upon his teacher's face. 
Met recognition in each line they trace. 
And with the pressure of that well known hand 
Were asking guidance to the other land. 

The teacher with his old familiar nerve, 

Began, '4'm glad to find your reason still 
Awake to follow argument and serve 

Each lawful mandate of the brain and will; 
Now listen while we pierce the earth and skies. 
For as we l)urrow in the ground or rise. 
Each molecule will add its feeble light 
To grace the lustre of our classic flight. 



GOLDEN G LEANINGS. \\\\ 



••Etlicrial, gnsoous, li(inefaction! 

SiiiToun<ling niaUor in onviioniucnt! 
Excited evolutionary action. 

Juxtaposed in nature's government! 
This primordial very occult source 
Producing geniture or hidden force! 
Has left its mark upon each plastic germ, 
Creating star, or clod, or wriggling worm! 

"There! that is plain and now to tind the route 
That leads through cerebellum and its cells, 
A viscid tluid points the secret out 

Where mind with all its genii surely dwells; 
For here imaginary beings sport and swim, 
Full while the current frets against the brim. 
Rut when the l)reathing Alls no more the sluls, 
The galley strands for lack of pleasant gales. 

''You're nearing port, the l)reeze is moaning low,— 

The timliers creak and grating keel is heard, 
The wheels of life now move exceeding slow. 

Almost arrested by a step or word. 
Now hold 3'our grip and then launch boldly out. 
Let reason steer the new, enchanting route. 
Close up your eyes to heaven, God and grave, 
Committing all to the cai)ric-ions wave." 

The young man groaning, turn'd his eyes away 
To seek his mother's, bending o'er the l)ed. 
Each line of sadness seemM to weep and say, 

"O mother, save your child ere he be dead!"" 
She grasp'd his hand and knell ui)on the floor 
Where she had wrestled with her (Jod before. 
And with strong cries and tears her woman's heart 
Kose like a sunbeam, rifting clouds apart! 

8 



114 ■ GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



"O God! look down and spare my only son 

And if Thon wilt not raise him up again, 
Help me to say, Thy gracious will be done 

For 1 shall truly worship only then; 
Dear Lord, if Thou wilt not restore my boy, 
Do till his aching, bleeding heart with joy, 
And let his soul from this dark prison break, 
Seal'd now with blood for the Redeemer's sake." 

While holy prayer touched the mother's tongue. 

Unknown spirits seenrd to linger near. 
Tuning their harps to music never sung. 

Where death wails break upon the list'ning ear; 
The young man drank the broken sobs of grief 
Like thirsting bee on opening l)ud or leaf, — 
As if the l)reast that fed his childish heart. 
Still warms the spirit ready to depart! 

The teacher, mute and sullen, slunk away. 
Back to the darkest corner of the room 
Where wriggling like a serpent held at bay. 

His glaring eyes were set in frame of gloom. 
And when the prayer was ended he arose 
With glow'ring menace curling around his nose, 
And like a phantom shot through ()})en door 
To show his learning and his face no more! 

Then spake the son, '•'Dear mother, now I see 

What miserable comforters are all. 
Without your faith which binds eternity 

In holy wedlock to this earthly ball. — 
O, self-accusing past! what have I done? 
Proved myself a sinful, recreant son. 
With jest and jibe I sneerVl at honest prayer. 
And now my hope and peace lie bleeding there. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 115 



''I've tniniplcd ou my mother's broken heart 

And twisted gray around her temples long, 
I've thrust ingratitude like poison'd dart 

Within the rji[)ture of her brightest song. 
iS'ow let me hear the accents of her love 
Throt) on my ear like music from above, 
O mother, speak! and may thy heart forgive, 
And though 1 die my spirit then shall live." 

' '•Forgive," she cried, "my dying son, not I 

Am wrong'd; so much as He who loving came 
To stain the cross with blood and meekly die. 

And write our pardon underneath His name; 
Look up to Him and ask forgiveness there. 
And he will smile to hear your anxious prayer. 
Then all your mother's wrongs will fade away 
And lose their darkness in the coming day." 

The impulse came; with sudden groan, he cried, 
'•Oflesus! Land) of God! wilt thou not spare 

The chief of sinners from his guilt and ride 

And save my soul from death and dark despair; 

Grant me Thy mercy like the dying thief 

And joy will crown this monument of grief, 

Like heaven mirror'd b}- the Hashing sun, 

From tears which plead, Miot mine. Thy will be d<me!" 

Then ((uietly he lay with folded han<ls. 

With deadly paleness, glowing on his cheek. 
His eyes half-closM, as if to sweep the lands, 

A mother's faith, had led his heart to seek. 
Soft whispers came like murnrring breath of wing, 
To fan the heart, until the pulses sing. 
And trend)ling in the accents, now divine. 
Is heard the words, "Dear Jesus, I am thine." 



116 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Like the old Prophet on the mount, he shone, 
With dazzling brilliance, as iiis piercing eje 

Caught vision of the Lamb beside the throne, 
And now henceforth, he cannot fear to die; 

Almost transfigured, liive his Lord, he waits, 

The silent swinging of the golden gates. 

When faith's bright triumphs, wrote in sunless spheres, 

Will never wane, amid the flight of years. 

Back o'er the flooded past his mem'ry flings 
Its brooding recollections foul and dark, 
Uneasy as the dove on trembling wings. 

Seeking its covert in the friendly ark: 
Now he can read the shameless vanity , 
Which beardless tyrants claim for liberty, 
And oh, what anguish lingers in the light 
Which bears these visions to his troubled sight. 

Now worlds recoil before the rising sun, — 

And all the gewgaw sham of law and books 
Seem like our playthings when the day is done. 

Or flowers scattered in the rushing brooks. — 
We come like pilgrims down the shelving shore 
Where billows madly leap and earthquakes roar. 
Then crutches break and like the helpless clod 
We fall into the flood and wake with God! 

O silly mortals! why so thoughtless grown, 

Feeding on ashes in the House of Bread, 
Yet hoping that the serpent and the stone 

Will yield sweet fruitage at the dying bed. 
As well might noonda}^ blush to midnight gloom. 
Or life's quick pulses beat within the tomb — 
As soon the dial marking Right would tell 
That heaven's suburbs gravitate to hell! 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. llT 



Just as the sun pecpM thronirh the crimson bars 

That linng in misty shadows o'er the west, 
His j^olden hmees uiMishaliiiir tiie stars 

As if to wake the slee})ini^ workls from rest; 
Upon the beams ashint through crystal pane 
A scarlet scar appears to blot and stain. 
As though a blood-washM soul in robe of white 
Had markM its passage fluttering into liuhtl 

No more the death damp gathers o'er the Inow, 

No more convulsions ajjonize the frame. 
Peacefully, cahnly rests the sleeper now. 

Unheeding all the trum[)et blasts of fame; 
Weary and footsore with the journey past 
He finds his mother's restful home at last 
Where earth life with discordant song of charms 
Finds burdens borne by Everlastins: Arms! 

Hot tears are raining on the bloodless cheek 

Embalming furrow'd lines of youthful care. 
And from the twilight silence seems to speak 

As voices break upon the ambient air. 
And yet no sound is falling on the ear. 
It is the ''Still small voice'' which enters here, 
For God can speak in tempests fierce and wild. 
Or write His law in smiles of sleeping child. 

The mother pours the burdens of her heart 

Before th(> throne with deepest gratitude, 
Rejoicing that the fairest flowers of art 

Melt in the fires of Death's dark solitude. 
Here, like the forest robes of verdant bloom 
When murm'ring breezes bear their sweet j)erfunie 
AVe sport old natun^'s gyves until the last. 
When fruitless l)ranches float upon the l)last. 



118 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



The sister robbVl and weeping, knows her Lord 

Has better title to her gems than she, 
Then how can she withhold her heart's accord, 
When bursting fetters let the soul go free. 
In saddling contrast with her father's gloom. 
Her smiles look through her tears to cheer the tomb,- 
His muflfled curses grate from gnashing teeth 
To show the hidden tiros that rage beneath. 

The day has come and gone — when to his rest 
The treasure lost — in sorrow borne away, 
Lower'd with worms to be their welcome guest 

In narrow house of cold and crumbling clay; 
But crawling vermin, Satan, sin, nor hell 
Robed in the garb of night they love so well. 
Can clip the wings which stir the p^irting breath 
When Christ descends to kiss the vale of death! 

Around the grave the gnarled oaks of years 

Like mourners stand to greet each rising sun, 

And leaves are glist'ning with their forest tears, - 
While creeping vines in tangled glory run: — 

The matin songs which burst from feather'd throats, 

In worship rising, undetiled by notes. 

Blends with th.e harmony of sky and sod. 

And bears creation's prayer up to Ood! 

Beyond the certain shadows yet to come, 

The mother and the sister see the dawn 
When faith no longer halting, blind and dumb 

Will rise in triumph o'er the darkness gone; 
Then clasping hands ui)()n the other shore 
They'll rest from la])or to go out no more. 
And he who now preludes their coming fate 
Will kiss the lips that open'd heaven's gate. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 119 



Gathered to their fathers*' dust at hist, — 

No echoes ring through the deserted halls, 
But such as weather time's eternal blast 

And leave llieir image where each burden falls; 
O'er the father's grave, heaven's deepest jet 
Would write the fetter'd soul's excuse, Not yet, — 
But mother, sister, son — the happy three. 
Thank God for heaven, — Christ's eternity! 

Let no poor praying mother deem her task 

Too heavy for her fainting heart to bear. 
Since the dear Lord who waits to hear her ask. 

Has power to lift the cross of ev'ry care: 
The Christ who streteh'd his mighty, bleeding hand. 
To pluck from death and save this burning brand 
Will always from the smiling skies above 
!Set ev'ry sorrow in the frame of love. 

The drama closes, and its moral tends 

To seal the oft repeated law again. 
That he is wisest who securely blends 

The smile of God with liolplessness of men; 
Then woven like the rainbow from our tears 
The sign of holy promise quells our fears, 
And Faith lies dow^i amid its bleeding scars 
To hail the light beyond the tiijjht of stars! 



•j^; NGLAND COULD not tax tea in the shadow of Harvard 
•jjWu, and Yale! Bunker Hill was possible because the yeo- 
^^-^^ manry lining its crest had looked into books as well as 
along the barrels of their tlint lock ritlesi Colleges will not 
live in a nation of slaves nor will such a nation i)r()(luce 
them. Neither will thcv grow on the barren soil of the stu})end- 
ous absurdity of negation. Agnosticism does not build schools 
or character, but is the deadly enemy of both. 



120 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



The silvery belt of learnino^ girdling the glol)e, is but the 
radiant incense formulated by the consecrated money of chris- 
tian hearts; while infidelity builds nothing, I)ut like its author, 
would destroy the good produced by others. It is the l)arnacle 
of the world whose only mission is to al)sorb the strength and 
lives of men; then die in ignominy and dis«:race without a 
mourner. It poisons the sanctity of home; revels in divorce 
courts; disturbs the peace of the Sabbath; is the ally of intemper- 
ance; the foe of mankind and the enemy of God. It brutalizes 
childhood and stings the heart, quivering in the throes of disso- 
lution with the venom of asps. In striking at God it attacks 
our institutions. 

The devotion of our Puritan fathers was the seed l)ed pro 
ducing the stars and stripes. The hand that touches the altar 
of prayer will not hesitate to rend our flag. Ahal)'s disloyalty 
to God was the signal premonition of national demoralization. 
Belshazzer defied the Almighty and died tiie same night as a 
tyrant and a traitor at the very threshold of a dissolving king- 
dom. The French Revolution was the harvest grown from this 
oferm of blood. 



THE TREASURE OF HOREB. 

The camp lay 'neath the mountain's froAvning crest, 
The golden blush of eve had touchVl the purple west, 
Brio;ht o-lories flam'd alonof the cloud-fleck'd skies 
Their beauties mirrorM in a thousand eyes. 
An awful stillness smote each heart Avith fear. 
The presage of' a storm that lingered near, 
The waiting thousands chill'd with dread suspense 
Are wrunof with doul)t and nivsterv intense. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 121 



At last tlu> palling imiltitiulo gives \va\' 
Lik(> mist l)cforc the rising king of day, 
And lie w ho traokM the dreary desert's path— 
Whose prayer had oft averted heaven's wrath. 
Stands forth erect with many suns cmhrownM, — 
A king 'niongst men though as yet uncrownM, 
Willing to follow wdiere'er his master ijoes. 
To deeds of valor or un(listurl)ed repose. 

A moment waiting though in silence tells 

More than the stitled sobs of sad farewells, 

The rushing memories of sacred years 

Are now more eloquent than words or tears; 

The hitter waters and the rended sea. 

The shiverM rock, the prayer-scented tree, — 

These miracles of God by want impress'd, 

*Now touch the harj) which (juivers in each Ijreast 



Mothei's lo(.k on with wild and eager stare. 
The sighs of childhood trend)le on the air, 
The pilgrim leans upon youth's mighty arm, 
And browsing herds are sharing the alarm. 
The clouds in re(>ling chaos sweep along 
And clothe the rocks with majesty and song — 
Earth listens to the blending wail of death 
That chills the life of every passing l)reath. 

God speaks! yet but the list'ning Prophet hears, 
The voice has grown familiar through the years; 
It stirr'd the soul when Sinai's thunder broke 
To carve each word the holy Father spoke: 
And now the Prophet hears the stern command 
To scale the mount and view the promis'd land. 
Look down upon the thousand tents below, 
And trace the Jordan bv its silver jjlow. 



122 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



He leaves the camp and with his staff in hand 
Climl)s o'er the rugged cliffs at God's command, 
All eyes are turned to see the less'ning form 
That seeks an audience with the God of storm; 
Farewells are Avhisper'd l)ut no clanking bell 
Is heard to chime the last departing knell. 
But clouds arc knit — a shroud of sable gloom, 
To hide the prophet and his unknown tomb. 



The summit reached! alone with God he stands 
Who oft had held his weary, trembling hands. 
When lightning voices blaz'd o'er Sinai's peak, 
While the Almighty Father deign'd to speak: 
Once more He clasps His loved and well-worn child 
While Horel)'s solitude in pity smiled. 
Once more the humble prophet kneels to pray 
Ere God shall lift the flashing gates of day. 



The grave prepared ! the prophet's mantle falls- 
A whisper comes as though a mother calls, 
"My child lie down and then a Father's hand. 
Will cover thee in sight of Canaan's land!" 
Thus wdth his hand in God's he gently press'd 
The unseen spirit to his heaving breast, 
While in the Everlasting Arms he lay. 
The loving Father kissed his soul away! 



The dust was gather'd in the urn of God 
Without a stone to mark the sacred sod, 
But angel mourners swept al)out the place 
And wove their requiem in the song of grace! 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 123 



ILF we must look upon and pet, admire and caress wild 
1 ; l)eastf^ unfit to live, it were better to have them carved in 
■^ marble to adorn our homes than to have them hidden 
away in our hearts to be worsliiped as the demi-gods of an im- 
pure civilization. Then they would not tear and rend the un- 
tarnished face of the unborn future! In the quiet tranquility 
of placid genius the}' would lie as the serene monitors of a true 
taste. But testimonials of sympathy with living crime are the 
footprints of Satan, disguised in flowers and hidden away from 
the public gaze. Crime is crime in the hovel or the palace. 



TWO GRAVES. 



I walk'd across the church yard heath 

Where tangled vines and roses creep 
About the silent graves beneath 

The sunlight's ringlets fast asleep. 
Some long neglected tombs were there. 

By weeds and mosses overgrown; 
Others were Howerless and bare, 

Their only mark a broken stone. 

A weeping willow's tresses fell 

Upon the zephjr's passing breath, — 
A lonely sentinel to tell 

The tragic message fi'oze in death; 
Here howling storms in fury pass, 

Here lightnings flash and thunders roll, 
But now no sound is heard alas! 

Save the hot breathings of the soul. 



124 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Two graves arrest my anxious thought, 

Peaceful, calm, and plain are they. 
Yet 'mong all others they are sought, 

Together wed in friendly clay: 
In life the tenants walkM one road. 

Helping each other's hurdenM arm 
To lift gaunt sorrow's crushing load — 

One to resist the shafts of harm. 

Sometimes the fretful shores of life 

QuiverM with anguish 'neatii the tide. 
Which sweeping onward through the strife 

In murm'ring cadence sweetly died; 
For as it nearVl the altar iircs 

Where hope and joy too^ctlier reign'd. 
The maddened wave recoils, retires. 

With home's bright garland unprofanVl. 

Together they in death's embrace 

Sleep on through changing tleeting years. 
In life they sought each other's face 

And kiss'd away each other's tears. 
Swept by the sunshine of the sky. 

The flutt'ring curtains of their bed, 
Set with the diamonds from on high 

Flap their bright folds around the dead! 

Though lips are dumb the daisies speak, — 

The ivy lifts its secret prayer — 
The murm'ring lireeze or tempest bleak. 

Has each an admonition tliere: 
Here ev'ry thought attun'd to hear, 

Rises on wings of faith to God. 
And list'ning, may each open ear 

Catch heaven's music from the sod! 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 125 



PAUL'S VICTORY. 

An old man sal in liis jnison coll. 

His thoughts, like the billows, rose and fell. 

His gray locks wet with the slimy mist, 

As the sea bird's wing Avith the vapor kiss'd; — 

The fetid dungeon's walls were hung 

AVith the spider's craft, in the darkness flung, 

And the aged pilgrim l)()und and alone. 

Lay down on his friendly pillow of stone. 

Without, the stirring bustle of trade 
Swept like the thunderous storm array'd 
AVith lances of hate and pinions of steel; 
Ne'er wiping the dust from hearts that feel. 
The martyr peers through the straggling light 
Which falls like angels' tears in the night, 
But his chain was the only harp of his soul 
Touched by a hand without his control. 

To-morrow the sun will shine as to-day. 
Gilding the hills with its golden gray; 
But the purpled throne will surely rock 
If the martyr goes to the stake or block. 
AVill not his cheek blanch at the coming doom 
That chisels his name on the felon's tomb? 
Surely he'll ask but the reason why 
A helpless old man is doomed to die. 

Heroic man! to heaven he brings 

The garlands which earth reserves for her kings, 

Crowning the Lord of eternity. 

Weaving a song for the lips of the free. 

(iras))ing his pen with vigorous might. 

He dashes the scarring bolts of light 

Athwart the dark, grimy walls of death. 

Like the shiv'ring blast of the tempest's breath! 



126 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



"Ready," he cries, ''to be offered now, 
The faith is l^ept and I meekly Ijow, 
Hencefortli a crown instead of a chain. 
Henceforth the glory of a righteous reign." 
Thus peacefully down on the block he lay 
With his furrowM cheeks and locks of gray. 
The spirit released from its narrow cell, 
Unchain VI, returns with its God to dwell! 

Ye tyrants! thirsting for blood and renown, 
Remember chains may girdle a crown; — 
The point of a lance — the axeman's steel 
May sunder the gyves the nations feel. 
Not death, but the noble grandeur of life 
Adorned this closing dinnia of strife. 
The blood, the tears, the moments of pain 
Were the tests of God on a life of ofain! 




,, E HAVE SP:EN that God is the author of visible in- 
tellectual and spiritual light. This blending trinity 
- of sul)lime forces unite in the Giver of all good and 
while their glor}' is unapproachable by human effort, we may 
get glimpses of their l)right effulgence amidst the darkest 
eclipse of the souFs history. Shall the sweet flowers cease to 
look up toward heaven because their variegated outlines are 
not mirrored on the slvies? Shall the skipping lambs cease to 
court the sunshine because they cannot understand the revolu- 
tion of the planets? Shall the tislies cease their gambols in the 
deep because they cannot philosophically describe the construc- 
tion of their fins? Shall the l)ircls mope and die like wi'ngless 
moles because their highest notes. fail to reach the secrets of 
ornithology? Shall man refuse the light of heaven because the 
mists of time shut out the full t)laze of celestial glory? No, a 
thousand fold, no. Seeking nature is God's argument in favor 
of coming to the light. As we stand in the vestibule of our 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 127 



Father's liou.se, our ctiorts to secure the startling: secrets at- 
tending its construction and ultimate destiny are not only 
laudable hut imperative. 

The more we know of God's work, the more we will work 
for God. The mind's expansion in devout C()ntem})lation is 
the measure of our pietv. Instead of sanctified learninjr heinsr 
the enemy of reli<>:ion, it is the guardian of altars; the strength 
of our homes and the defense of the state. It was enthroned 
in the hearts of the Pilgrim Fathers, and before its loving sway 
the forests melted, the savage war-whoop died away, and this 
virgin soul was rescued from barbarism, and from the rugged 
coast of the Atlantic to the golden sands of the Pacific, this 
mighty empire was dotted with the tlasiiing gems of a noble 
civilization. 

We must not forget that interwoven in the fundamental 
elements of our national soeial compact, the early college life 
of sturdy New England did more to transform her flinty hills 
into the garden of promise — the eden of our hopes — than the 
prowess of her arms or the majesty of her flag. 



RESURRECTION HYMN. 

Burst I all ye rocky l)ars of death. 

Burst! for the Conq'ror conies to reign, 
God wakes the dead with passing breath. 

And joy usurps the throne of Pain. 
From all the heavenly hills, look down 

Ye angels now amazM to see 
The Nazarene receives his crown 

And life unlocks the land and sea! 

Touch'd by the Victor's hand we rise 
Complete in Him and Spirit-l)orn, 

Until by Faith's exultant eyes 
We see the resurrection morn. 



128 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Joy to the world! with wonder see, 

The gloom around the grave dispel, 

The rising Sun bids shadows flee 

And dashes back the bolts of hell! 

O, grave! where is thy victory? 

And where, O, death! is now thy sting? 
When He who died on Calvary 

Becomes thy Master and thy King! 
Awake, ye sleeping souls, awake! 

Behold your Lord in glory rise, — 
The morning of the world will break 

When he descends the brightninof skies. 



THE PLAINS. 



AVho stretch'd this arid, treeless waste? 

Tiring the eye with dull immensity, 

Its distant hills lifting their brownM heads toward heaven; 

Scorch'd with their tireless years of drought; — 

Swept by the storm-god's icy breath of winter; 

And lonely in their utter barrenness! 

No cornfields rustle here, and 

No bread forteemino- millions oroAvs; — 

Jagged rocks loom toward the skies 

Like Titan temples built by the gods. 

Distant mountains capped with eternal snow. 

Smile on through the centuries in grandeur desolate; 

No pleasant villas buried in flowering vine 

And sweetcn'd with merry-voiced children appear; 

But all is bleak, sear and dead. 

Who stretch'd out this land of death? 

From this grave of lovely nature a voice responds, God! 

Here birds grow homesick and wing their fliijht 

To sweeter climes; — 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 129 



Bones l)leaoli\l to whitcnoss. grin ;i ghastly wolconie 

To ovory form of litV. 

Why tlicso fleecy ch)M(ls flitting 

O'er this desolation^ 

When tiiey do not dro[) their 

Moisture upon the thirsty earth; 

Perchance, my soul, they are 

Not of earth, hutheaveni 

The outward drapery of the unseen temple; 

The magic plumes of the 

Horses hidden in the mountains of God! 

Who knows but that l)eyond. 

The angels ride upon the; wings of the wind, 

Ready to unlock this charnel house of death 

And let the prisonM spirit try its wings. 

Why this scar on nature's smiling facej 

Why this untimel}' births 

To which the years do not give maturity; 

To teach us that life is not unvarying monotony; 

Antipodal life and death are (everywhere. 

The green blade and the sear 

Leaf are nature's book; 

We turn these rustling leaves every day, 

But do not learn. 

By blasting nature God would 

Teach us what a blasted life is; 

No flowers, no fruits, nothing but ;i grave! 

The past a desolation, — 

The future a desert! 



/irr^c^llaQeo^s. 



NATIONAL HYMN. 

Lcind of the noble free! 

Stretched from the sen to sea, 
KibbVl with the beetling mountain heights. 
Where eagles swoop in their dizzy flights; 
Veined by the rivers' tortuous curves, — 
With a breast of steel and lightning nerves — 
The oaken thew of the forest serves, 

To armor thee. 

Thy sea green pines of old, 

Thy western rim of gold. 
Thy fields adorn'd with their waving grain, — 
Thy granite hills and thy stretch of plain, 
Thy peaks array'd with their bridal plume, 
Thy sparkling lakes with their fringe of Idoom- 
The busy whirr of the forge and loom. 

Thy strength unfold! 

Deep in thy hoary rocks, 
Unmoved by thunder shocks; 
Thy pillars hewn I)y the battle blade 
Are set in sockets which God hath made, — 
With peaceful banners fluttering down 
To dip their folds in thy calm renown, 
Kissing the gems of thy brightest crown, 
Thy herds and flocks. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 131 



O land! of (lod and men, 

From ev'iy plain and glen 
Let mercy drop from thy conq'ring spear — 
Like flash of pearl in an angel's tear; 
Here build thy temple where heart throl)s meet, 
Here point the way to tlu; golden street — 
Here stand for truth till the judgment 

Shall say. Amen! 



//Iff 



OVERNMENT in this country is of the })eople, and every 
W^^ man is responsible at the judgment of God and at the 
<i >^ bar of his own conscience for the part he plays in the 
enthronement of vice or the triumi)h of truth. 



DEATH OF GARFIELD. 

A voice, hoarse and low, 
Murmuring like the minstrelsy of pain, 
Choked with soI)l)ing grief and death-wrung tears. 
Finds iron tongues which moan above the slain, 
Chilling the Nation's heart with brooding fears. 

Oh God! how long! how long! 

Must we wail out this song, 

This tidal wave of woe? 

Like the midnight cry. 
When Egypt's mother found her lifeless child. 
And o'er the holocaust the wailing l)reeze 
Wafted from heart to heart, so sad and wild 
The breath of vengeance — touch ing: but to freeze; 

So the lightning hath wrung 

From ev'ry heart and tongue, 

A mother's mourning sigh. 



132 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



This dark room of death 
Embraces all between the ocean tides, 
The Nation's sky — a canopy of gloom 
Hangs o'er an angel's steps as forth she glides 
To kiss the terror from an open tomb! 

Here Ave are brothers all, 

We hold alike one pall 

And feel death's icy breath! 

O, Israel's God! 
Between the walls of waters let us go, 
For as the promis'd hope of other ^ears 
Looms up like Horeb from the depths of woe, 
A green, bright isle amid a sea of tears! 

How oft the good must die 

That from the rifted sky 

INIayfall Thy chast'ning rod! 

Thou art Freedom's son. 
The child of poverty and honest toil 
Thy hand and God's together wrought for thee, 
Until thy peerless name claims native soil 
Wherever men will pray for liberty! 

Put on thy crown of light! 

God gave thee sense of Right, 

And He has said, Well done! 

Beyond the blue sea 
All hearts seem breaking with our sacred grief. 
And liffhtnino; soul-throbs make us all akin; 
Humanity would weep around our chief 
To share the glory which he died to win. 

Oh! bravest of the brave! 

The world looks in thy grave, 

'Tis Death's fraternity! 



c;0Lh^!v CLjsAMiMg^. Is^ 



O'er this friirlitful gloom, 
The South looks up with tearful eyes again, 
All thoughts of malice scattorM in the cloinl, 
Which (Irai)ing all our altars, makes us men. 
Revealing love knit in the Nation's shroud. 

O brothers! let us bring 

Our holy otiering. 

And clasp across this tomb! 



^MlERE THE ALTAR of Liberty was reared, kissed by 
^1ii|r the December snows of a New World, and consecrated 
by pr:iyer. The savage wilderness became the temple 
of God, f r<,>scocd by the wintry skies and flitting clouds, which 
covered the latent possibilities of anew born but rising empire. 
Here amid the snow cov'ered hills of New England, was founded 
a kingdom of thought. Driven and pressed by the cruel edicts 
of tyrants, these men — the noblest Spartans of the race — evolved 
from the bloody throes of persecutit)n and oppression, that 
noblest principle of human government which ever struggled 
through the mists of history up into the sunlight of heaven, 
that Freedom is God's l)irthright to men! Sneer as you will 
at the Puritanic rigidity of these men; ridicule the severity of 
their religious faith; scotr at their misguided zeal culminating 
in superstition; laugh at their strict observance of the Sabbath, 
and ignore if you will, their entire religious creed; yet with all 
their faults they gave birth to an idea such as the world has 
never witnessed. 

TRH^UTE TO GRANT. 

Thy work is done! 
The silent mnn s|)eaks now. 
Death crowns the puls(>less l)r()W. 
The hom.'ige of the world is here. 
The tribute of each heai't, a tear. 

For Freedom's son. 



134 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



The Nation's child! 
He saw our stars grow pale 
'Neath clouds of iron hail, — 
He gave us all that man can give 
And to our cries responded, "Live:" 

Then heaven smiled. 

Triumphant chief! 
Thy sword lies calm and still 
Wreath'd with the victor's skill; 
War's red carnage passed away 
Peace sobs above thy grave today, 

In painful grief. 

No North! no South! 
No longer girt with steel, 
Our cannon think and feel; — 
Warmed by a common blood, we come 
All hate and malice smitten dumb 

At the grave's mouth. 

O'er this bright tomb 
We scatter roses sweet. 
Perfuming garner'<l wheat 
Which yields its blessed golden grain 
In future harvests, sown in pain. 

Now in their bloom! 

O Father! hear! 
We lift our hearts to Thee, 
God, of the brave and free, — 
Make this united land Thine .own. 
Thyself its ruler, and its throne. 

Forever dear. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 135 



%yfg^E BELIEVE in the law of logic rathor than dynamite. 
'^KJIEfr Physical force is the argument of mobs and tyrants. 
^^^^ It may subdue but does not convince. This is a 
ofovernmcnt of thouicht and not brute force. AVe may be 
ol)liired in eases of extreme necessity to use the latter to y)un- 
ish the few that the many may be preserved; but (iod forbid 
that this nation should ever be controlled i)y the thought that 
its strength lies in its armies and martial array. That view of 
national life may do for the expiring taper of dying monar- 
chies; kingly powers that crush their subjects into the very dust 
of abject serfdom where, like crawling slaves, they kiss the scep- 
tre and the throne; but our skies, our rivers, our mighty for- 
ests, our crowned })rairies, our lofty mountains piercing the 
very heavens, our )nexhaustil)le mines, our golden harvests, 
our intellectual and moral achievements, all, all revolt at the 
savage and barbaric intimation that the grandest trophies of 
liberty are stained with blood! 



KATE SHELLEY. 



[Miss Kate Shelley's heroism deserves the plaudits of the 
brave everywhere, and the poet who shall blazon the plucky 
deed in letters of the verse will do her an honor she has earned 
and immortalize himself. On the 0th of January, 1881, a fear- 
ful storm of wind and rain visited Des Moines Valley, Iowa, 
blowing trees and many l>uildings over. In an hour's time the 
Des Moines river had risen six ff^et, and Honey creek bridge, 
near where she lived, was tlestroyed. The tirst intimation of 
this disaster came to her as she was looking out of her window, 
gazing with awe at the fearful havoc of wind and water, which 
was accompanied with terrible thunder claps and blinding 
flashes of lightning. While looking through the window the 



136 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



headlight of an approaching train was seen through the dark- 
ness, but suddenly as siie gazed the light dropped. Immedi- 
ately the fearful truth flashed to her mind, ''The bridge is de- 
stroyed and the train has gone down the abyss." 

She, a child of tifteen years, was the only one about who 
could go out to the place of the wreck. Lighting a lantern, 
hastily donning a waterproof, and with nerve born of the oc- 
casion, she rushes to the dreadful scene. One timber of the 
bridge remains; out upon this she crawls, and waving her lan- 
tern, she calls aloud if any one was yet alive. The engineer 
faintl}^ answers, and amid the sad desolation bade the child 
hasten to Moingona, a station a mile distant, and warn the ap- 
proaching express train. 

Between Kate and Moinsfona is a bigh trestle bridge, dan 
gerous to cross in daylight, Avith no storm to terrorize and no 
wind to threaten to cast her down into the waters below. And 
this high trestle bridge is five hundred feet in length! To add 
to the horror of the fearful wind and the l)eating rain and the 
blinding flashes of lightning and the booming of the heavy 
thunder, the child's light is extinguished. Five hundred feet 
of a high trestle l)ridge, Avith the seething, boiling rushing tor- 
rent of Avaters just beneath, which seem to throAV out grasping 
hands to pull her into the abyss. And no lantern! No time 
to tremble, to call for help, or to rest a spell before she makes 
the fearful journey! Every instant of time, every tie of that 
five hundred feet may count a life destroyed! She drops upon 
her hands and knees, and thus crawls as she clinches each tie in 
turn Avith a grip that is meant to hold — her life and the lives of 
maiiy others hang upon her success in getting across that valley 
of the shadoAV of death. She gets across somehow, and Aveak 
and prostrated Avith the terrible strain upon her nerves, the 
plucky girl must on, on to the station. As she reaches the 
goal a few Avords are spoken to the ofticial, and the overtaxed 
girl SAvoons away. 



aoLnkM CLtiAmMcs. v,\t 



The Mooiclent is wired in all direetions, and the ex})ress 
train is stopped this side of death. The grateful i)asscngers 
made up a handsome purse for their rescuer. The legislature of 
Iowa, after some time, presented Kate Shelley a medal vtducd 
at 5^200. The medal represents Kate in the act of crossing the 
Idirh trestle l)ri(l<2('. Altove this eni^ravino: are the words: 
"Heroism! Youth! Humanity" The reverse side has on it: 
"Presented by the State of Iowa to Kate vShelley, with the 
thanks of the General Assembly, in recognition of the courage 
and devotion of a child of tiftet^n years, whom neither the ter- 
ror of the elements nor the fear of death could api)al in her ef- 
forts to save human life during the terril)le storm and Hood in 
the Des Moines ^'alley on the night of .January (>, 18S1." 
Take otf your hats, gentlemen, and do homage to the pluck of 
our countrywoman. | 



The lightning belted thunder king 

Rode forth in sable trappings grand, 

His pinions })luck\l from terror's wing- 
Blinded the eyes of ether land. 

Th(> howling storm swept madly by, 
The rain in crashing torrents fell. 

The earth, the air, the frowning sky 

Seem'd belchinof like the throat of hell! 



Adown the Des Moines valley ran 

The seething blackenM tlood of death, — - 

And lowing herds alarmM began 

To moan above the storm's wild breath. 

llark! crashing, creaking timbers grate 

'Neath thundcrltoll and crunching Hood, — 

Oh God! how cruel is that fate 

Which steeps our brightest hopes in lilootl 



138 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



A timid maiden looks and sees 

A glimmering hemllight stealing on, 
Like phantom star amid the trees 

It flickers, flashes, and is gone! 
At once the awful truth seems plain, 

"The l)ridge is gone,'' and down the steep, 
Has rush'd the fated maddenM train 

Into the jaws of death to leap. 

She grasps a lantern in her hand 

With quivering nerve and hated breath. 
And at her lofty soul's command 

Goes forth to kiss the vale of death; 
The blinding torrents sheet the air. 

The lurid lightnings scar the night, 
The booming thunders crash and tear 

The savage tempest in its flight. 

She strusfo;les through the blindino- storm 
Like sea-bird skimming billows deep, 

Nerv'd by the work which keeps it warm, 
Each blast a step up heaven's steep. 

One timber of the bridge remains. 

And crawling o'er the slip'ry span. 
Her hands benumb'd with stinging pains. 

She listens for the voice of man. 
Beneath the broken bridge there lies 

The pulseless engine dead and chill. 
And from the vortex feeble cries 

Come stealing o'er that iron will. 

"On to Moingona," faintly came 

From 'neath the debris of that wreck, 

Go, child of rescue! God will name 

The jewels flashing round thy neck. — 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 139 



The thuiul'i'ing express !S()on will eonie 
With hundred souls of living freight. 

O God! we freeze witii anguisji (hmil) 
To see them hiuling on to fate. 

A mile away the station light 

Looms up a fitfid spai'k of tire — 
Now kindling "neath the brow of night, 

Now lost in gloom's ])rophetie ire. 
Five hundred feet of trestle l)inds 

The black abysmal lips of gloom. 
O'er which the slender railing winds 

Like gauzy bridge across a tomb. 

Her lantern carves the blackness through, 

Its glimmering rays of ofold between, 
Like fringe of sunshine, warm and true. 

The tasseird glory of the scene! 
Fiercer the roaring winds swept by, 

When lo! the light is smitten dead, 
The storm beneath, around, on high, 

Flapj)'d its bhick wings about her head. 

Weary, faint and drenchM she goes 

With aching nerves and reeling brain 
Across the bridge — how, heaven knows, 

To warn the onward coming train; 
On hands and feet from tie to tie, 

Clutching the timbers in her grip. 
She slowly moves, intent to die 

Or signal death with (|niv"ring lip. 

Five liundred feet! O God. how long 
The trestle seems that awful night! 

Each foot a groan in Horror's song. 

Measured by lightning flash of light! 



UO doLbEM GLEANINGS. 



AVith bleeding hands and pain intense 
She creeps along the verge of death, 

Her soul the only light of sense, 

The torch of God in ev'ry breath. 



At last the dreadful task is done, 

The station reach'd, the signal told, 
She faints amid the battle won. 

The swooning victor, great and bold; 
Far throui^h the thunderl)olts of light 

And blackenVl caverns of the storm. 
There flasliM unseen by mortal sight 

God's breath of warnins swift and warm. 



The train is stopp'd — the yawning grave 

Is cheated by the daring maid, — 
Praise crowns the battle of the l)rave 

Whose hand was in her Father's laid! 
With face u[)lifted to the skies. 

An hundred soids Avith joy aglow, 
Sobb'd out the speech of tearful eyes 

"Praise God from whom all blessinirs flow." 



Prairie flower! bloom on for aye. 

Embalmed on memory's leaf we bring 
Thy deeds which brighten o'er the way 

Like skies touch'd by the gold of spring. 
Adown tl^e. centuries time will thrill 

The harp within thy childish hand, 
While music sweet as heaven will 

Pour forth to kiss thy native land. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 141 



^^OLITKWL C^\PITAL maiiufactiiredfroin sectional hate, 
^^st^: whether found North or South, is the mouldy, moss- 



r 



ijrown stock in trade of l)ankrui)t dcmtiijoiifues and 
ought to he avoided as the stenchful sewage of a past age! It 
is not patriotism, but rabid partisanship. Patriots love their 
country as a whole and do not slice it up as they would cheese, 
to suit their fastidiousness or their caprice. We are brothers all. 
The same stars are above us, and we aive alleoiance to the same 
flag, and hope in the same future destiny. Let us forget and 
bury the ghastly memories of the past, which like venomous 
serpents would poison the very flowers which bloom over the 
graves of our dead! AVe have had hate, malice, bitterness and 
blood enough, God knows; now may we open our hearts to the 
sunlight of a new era and invite the angel of Peace, radiant with 
good-will, love and forgiveness, into our councils and our lives! 
Let Ale.xarider have his Pal)ylon, let Cicsar have his Gaul, let 
Hannil»al have his Italy, and Napoleon his Borodino; these are 
but pebbles (hopjx'd from the hand of (Jod into the current of 
time;— the cotHncd greatness of martial glory — l)ut our bright- 
est victories, our grandest achievements, glittering like jewels 
on our escutcheon, will be the triumphs of peace — the stars 
over which the angels sing and devout men rejoice! 



THE WAITING WIFE. 

Twelve o'clock! it is getting late, 

The wind moans mournfully without; 
Is that his stc}) now at the gate^ 

Hark! no, it is the foot-fall of a doubt. 
1 am cold, () God! what next? 

This tireless hearth cannot keep one warm, 
M}' sermon freezes to its chilling text, 

Howling its icy anguish in the storm. 



142 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Come, Charley, from jour sweet dreams awake. 

Go. seek your papa at the old saloon. 
Here, your young heart, not so quick to 1)reak, 

Will brave the night as well as rosy noon. 
My voice trembles — will he come I wonder. 

Tell him — my brain reels — tell him, will you, 
That the Avhite stones of the graveyard yonder 

Point to a home where hearts are always true. 

Tell him that liaby darling calls his name 

And twists her chubby tingers in my hair, 

As if the shackles of her papa's shame 

Were knotted in the golden ringlets there! 

Her dimpled cheek, press'd to my burning brow, 
Cools my hot temples like the autumn's breath. 

How sweet the tender smile of blessing now 

AVhile walking throu"li the dismal vale of death! 

Go, my brave boy, his loving child and mine. 

Perhaps the sight of you will nerve his arm 
To smite the demon in the glass of wine. 

And turn his footsteps from the paths of harm. 
Tell him that the lamp is burning on the stand 

And that your mother w;uts until he come,— 
That rags cannot whip out the good and grand 

Which still illumes the broken wreck of home! 

Gone! how the wild blasts shriek tonight. 

How slowly the dreary hours creep on! 
I wonder if my act was clearly right, — 

Is that blush the harbinger of dawn? 
List! No, it is the snow rattling against the pane. 

Will they never come? — how our darling sleeps; 
She does not feel the scorching tears that stain 

My checks — no, for an angel never weeps. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 143 



Sleep on, sweet dreamer, for in thy dreams 

The startling phantoms that wing their flight 
Are but the silent shadows of the beams 

Which quiver in the heavenly arch of light. 
God grant thou mayst know but these. 

Then all thy pangs will be l)ut painted toys, 
For visions do not cause the heart to freeze, 

Nor drive their daggers through our dearest joys. 

I wait, — O God, is this the duty of a wife? 

Must I freeze the creeping flesh upon the bone, 
And wring the warm blood from the heart of life 

To leave its mark upon a soulless stone! 
Did I court these cutting chains when young? 

I know I (lid not see the blood upon then) then! 
They were not slimy from the serpent's tongue, 

But now they bind me to the worst of men. 

Hark! here they come — my husband and my boy, 

Come dear ones let us stir the dying fire. 
How my heart leaps to-night with joy. 

What can I do? my hands will never tire. 
Sit there my husl)and; Charley, 3^ou come here. 

You look so cold, but hearts are warm within. 
The sunshine breaks whenever love is near, 

And pardon melts the strongest chains of sin! 

O Father! l)less our ransoni'd home tonight. 

Hold our trembling hearts in thine own hand. 
Help us to bless, forgive and do the right. 

And in the image of thy son we'll stand. 
Then through the gloomy storms of coming years 

The golden strands of happiness will run. 
And faces mirror'd in a sea of tears 

Will smile to see the triumphs we have won! 



144 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



'"^qpvROHIBITION IS the living vital issue of the day and it 
'^^' will not down at the ini[)('rl()us beck of any political 
■' ^ mountebank. The dominant successful party of the 
near future will be that party which incorporates prohibition 
as the talisnianic watchword of its life. Rest assured that no 
party half drunk and half sober can long survive the fires of 
this moral conflict. The party which dares not to do right be- 
cause it is right must die, or become the open ally of the saloon. 
The crystallization of forces is the only hope in every moral 
reform, and in order to crystallize the clean elements of polit- 
ical life there must of necessity be a moral plane where they 
can gather; a plane untarnished l)y smoking distilleries, brew- 
eries and saloon keepers. 

Until our love for country and humanity becomes greater 
than our love of party, little can be accomplished. 



THE EXODUS TO THE FREE NORTH 

Al;is! the moining star of hope is dimnrd 

And masters cruslrd beneath the serried lines of steel 
Are rising from the wreck, once battle rimniM, 

To set with blood and bones their Acssel's broken keel. 
Homeless and undone we wept above their closing graves 

And listened to the tales of sorrow, Avant and strife, 
Almost forgetting in the sympathy of slaves 

That we were men brought back to liberty and life. 

Their little ones and ours gamboled 'neath the sun 

And sailed their leaky boats across the placid stream; 
The peaceful fishing rod and less fraternal gun 

Were intermingled like the ancient prophet's dream. 
The cotton fields ,were smiling 'neath our well-trained hand. 

And Peace had kissed our verdant hills once more; 
War roU'd in stain'd garments, slept throughout the land, 

And pruning hooks displaced the cannon's awful roar. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 145 



False beticonl siiK-e heiuiutli the silent glassy wiivo 

The jutting roiks like tiisks are rending the fond lieait 
Which heats its thr(>l>bing niarih where restless billows rave 

And ocean life in warming gulf streams flow and start! 
So, far lu'low the calm, benignant smih; of life 

Deep anguish, like a vulture gleaning his repast, 
Sinks its talons deeply, stain'd with I)lood and strife 

And leaves the wave unruffled by a passing blast. 

The rights of men bequeathed through blood and tire 

Become the ramparts of the old oppressor's hate. 
And Freedom, rising from the shive-Jjesotted mire, 

Takes up her chains to bind the Ship of State! 
Liml)s bleeding from the gashes of the whip and hound, 

And faces scarred with years of pain and toil, 
Turn from the slave-huts where mind and soul are bound^ 

And, loathing life, weep their adieu to native soil. 

Northward the weary and foot-sore colunui swings 

Its dusky blackness and the pent up grief of years; 
While the red bolts of Justice, sped on lightning-wings, 

Are burning through the unheeding scars and tears. 
Like Israel, the sacred ark of God is borne 

With bondmen freed by an Almighty hand! 
The sword which smites the bleeding ranks already torn 

Will turn its edge against the wielder's smitten land! 

O ye who give for bread the serpent and tlu- stone 

Recall the coward's spleen that hides the poison'd fang. 
Roll out your trumpet's call with no uncertain tone. 

And make your shame a lie, from every hamlet sang. 
Then heaven will kiss your blighted fields again 

And mercy smile your pardon from the courts above. 
When God's own image, erect, restored in men. 

Shall not be crush'd in hate, but tower in love! 

10 



146 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



tE THAT DRINKS is in imminent danger of a drnnk- 
anFs (loath and a drunkard's hell, and he that gives it 
-" ^ to another becomes a participant in his ruin, and he is 
stained with the blood of a soul. Government clings to the 
traffic because of the revenue it derives from the accursed thing;. 
It hardens the public conscience into sordid gold. It 
would paint our public l)uildings with the l)lood of our boys! 
It would smother the screams, the groans, the agony, the l)urst- 
ing hearts and the l)linding sorrow of the Nation's homes with 
money I It would set a premium on crime and then chuckle 
over the proceeds as an evidence of statesmanship. Kemend)er 
that (lod has dechired that righteousness exalteth a Nation. 
Human law cannot make the vilest crime rig^hteousness. Human 
legislation cannot transmute the code of hell into the Sermon 
on the Mount. This is our position: 

1. No government has a right to institute, sanction and 
uphold laws which destroy and impoverish its own citizens. 

2. No government has a right to estal)lish })laces where 
nothing l)ut drunkards and criminals are made. 

To destroy ourselves at the rate of sixt}' thousand per year 
is National suicide. li is a mockery of reason and common 
sense. To license saloons with the full knowledge that their 
only work will l)e to manufacture criminals, to pre}^ upon soci- 
ety, is like cutting off your foot because some fool offers you a 
nickle for the transaction! But does the liquor traffic pay? 
Suppose that to-morrow morning the whole business in this 
great country would cease. Suppose that for one year not one 
cent would be spent for liquor as a beverage. At the end of 
the year we have nine hundred millions of dollars in the pock- 
ets of the people that we cannot now have. AVhere would 
these nme hundred millions go? This enormous sum would 
then be spent for flour, meat, shoes, clothing, and whatever 
would be useful in the home. It would require an angel's 
tongue to paint the sunshine and the joy carried with this stream 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. W" 



of wealth. ?>voiv l(^*ri(iniato line of trade would l>ii<rhten and 
quicken with the pulses of a new life. We should hear no 
more about overproduction. That notion would he answered 
at once and forever. Hut we are told the liquor traffic makes 
business. It spends money for (h'ink that should be spent for 
♦groceries, elothinij and boots; it Ueeps hollow eyed wives wait- 
ing for tlruidvcn husbands until the morning; it creates brawls, 
lights and prostitution; it makes work for the police, the law- 
yers and the hangman; it makes industrious men lazy, vaga- 
bonds and criminals; it transforms the beautiful, cultured young 
man into a loathesome, bloated, friendless wretch; it changes the 
loving husband and father into a brutal demon, without feel- 
ing or character; it tills our jails, penitentiaries and asylums 
with its victims; it strangles the joy and love of home, swims 
in the fires of lust, revels in blasphemy and profanity, rejoices 
in theft and brigandage, causes assassination and murder, fills 
untimely graves, wrecks character antl h()})e. and peoples the 
purlieus of perdition! 



TKIBUTK TO URYANT. 

FaiienI fallen! the loved one — 
But the rifted clouds above our head 
Become a chariot for the dead. 

Ending a race nobly run; 
And while our quickening })ulses tire. 
Need we to hear or lips inquire 
Beside this broken harp and lyre, 

A\'hosi> crown is won! 

O'er his dust the daisies weep; 
lie wove their beauties into song; 
Now they would still his praise prolong 

Nor let his memory sleep; 



148 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



EmbahiiM in an eternal prayer 
The changing seasons write with care 
His glorious record everywhere, 
Loud and deep. 

Who is dead? who is he? tell! 
Earth, wood, and valley, why not speak? 
Answer ye hills and mountain peak! 

'Twas you he loved so well; 
Now that your master's tongue is still 
Speak! and the trembling measures till 
Upon his harp of vale and hill, 

A sad farewell. 

No poet's dazzling fire now 
Can light the torch so grandly spent. 
Or hold the crown so rudely rent 

From Bryant's classic brow; 
A rainbow kindled thi-ough our tears. 
His eye reflects the light of years 
And clouds and darkness disappears 

Where millions bow. 

He lived for others' good, — 
Tipped with fire his mighty pen 
Struck off the chains of fettered men, 

Doing all that mortal could; 
Relying on the (lod of might 
He yielded not but to the right, 
For duty was the star of light 

Where'er he stood. 

Cold, in the grave he lies; 
Sleep on, our brother! rest is sweet 
Where lilies fold their winding sheet 

With sadden'd, moisten'd eyes; 



GOLDEN GLEANING^. l49 



While tiartli holds out her hand to thee, 
(xod elothes her hills with poetry, 
And thy bright spirit's wings are free 
To mount the skies! 

Nature would our sage enthrone, 
lUit, jealous of her dower'd grace, 
We bring the tribute of our race 

More durable than stone; 
For if we now renounce our claim, 
Nature's rebuke would be our shame — 
Not all the music of his name. 

Is her's alone. 

Sleeping bard! serene and grand! 
We mourn thy loss and yet rejoice 
That three-score years thy pen and voice 

Wei-'e fell throughout the land; 
With thankful hearts that thou wast given 
To see our blindness thunder-riven, — 
Piercing the clouds of earth and heaven. 

We clasp thy hand! 



"^^ LIND PARTISANSHIP is death to every moral senti- 

V/^ffii ment. Some believe in a party because it is old. If 1 
\\yy)., ... 

^-^' had a mania for fossils that view might attract me. Sin 

is old enough to be respectable, if antiquity is to furnish the 

livery of samtship. Some believe in a party because of its 

name. A name to live when we are dead is condemned in the 

scriptures. Some l»elieve in a party because of what the party, 

under that name, accomplished somewhere awa}' oli' in the past. 

That is something like banking on the character of your great 

grandfather, or whittling a little god out of the tombstone that 

marks the spot of buried greatness!. Now we treasure with 

fondest memory and transcendant delight the good that an}' or 



150 ' GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



all parties have wrought ont for this incomparable nation — this 
mighty and wonderful government. This free soil, this slave- 
less empire, this national supremacy, this security of life and 
property, this undimmed flag, this valorous history pregnant 
vvith the lustre of noble deeds; all, all these compose a legacy 
which is intensely American, and therefore it is mine! How- 
ever this maybe, it betrays ignorance of the genius of our gov- 
ernment, or blind infatuated bigotry to form my present polit- 
ical affiliations on the doubtful basis of past history. New is- 
sues are to be met and there must be new life to meet them. 
That party is my party, which will express authoritatively my 
moral convictions on the living issues of the present time, and 
grapple with them with that energy and assurance born of 
rififhteousness and God! 



THE DRUNKAKD^S SONqj. 

Along life's devious way 

I cast a lingering glance and heave a sigh; 
Overwhelmed with the gloom of ebbing day 

I'm left alone to die. 

Once beauty touched my cheek 

And sunny ringlets clustered round my brow, 
My words were such as only lov'd ones speak, 

I seem to hear them now. 

One dark and doleful night 

A demon staggerVl to my cheerful cot; 
My treml)ling wife benumb'd with dread and fright 

Shrunk from that fatal spot. 

Want pinch'd our meagre store 

And Plenty from our fairest visions fled; 
My children askVl as they had oft before, 

And vainly cried for l)read. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. l5l 



M}' weary wife lay down. 

Worn and sad with watching, tears and strife; 
8h(» left her babes to grasp her waiting crown 

On the bright shore of Life! 

My ehildren one l)y one 

Were torn from my cold and chill enil)raee; 
1 fancy I can hear them hail the dawn 

And see each smiling face. 

Alone I wander now 

And madly clasp the demon to my breast; 
I crown him master as I cringe and bow 

Before each stern behest. 

1 see the drunkanTs grave. 

Its wretcheil cotBn and its upturned sod; 
E'en now I touch the angry,, blistering wave 

Which hides me from mv God! 



^^RINCIPLE IS the vertebra of character. Without it 
money deludes, sociality is the cloak of knavery, and 
talent collapses. The lack of principle makes the 
l>ankcr a thief, the drone a tramp, and the preacher a hypo- 
crite. 



HOMELESS. 



Oh! where is my hofne'i' 

(io ask of the wild 
That shelters in silence 

Adversity's child; — 
(io ask of the l)rook 

As it (lows to the sea. 
What woi'th were its smiles, 

AN'hat joy its t)right gle(?^ 



152 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



The willows ave there 

And bend to the breeze, 
But this wretched heart 

Seems aching to freeze; 
No more shall I feel 

That 1 have a home. 
Poor, friendless, forsaken! 

In sadness I roam. 

The beasts of the desert 

Have caverns to tlee, — 
The birds of the air 

Have nests and are free; 
And the fishes that swim 

In the leap of the wave. 
All, all have a home 

And I but a grave! . 

The snowflakes may fall 

And whiten the ground, 
The winsfs of the storm-kino: 

Spread gladness around; 
Kind words may be spoken, 

Warm hearts may l)e free. 
The felon has friends, 

Jjut who cares for me? 

No matter what snow 

Or cold, crackling .sleet 
May fall on my head 

Or freeze at my feet; 
No inatter what tears 

May dim the hot eye. 
Not a friend bids me hope. 

All wish me to die! 



COLD EN GLEANINGS. 153 



Go ask of the stoini 

That sweeps the chirk cloiuh 
If its pinions will knit 

The threads of my shroud! 
And when I am gone 

Weep not over me. 
Friendless I've lived, 

In peaee let me l»e! 



^|g?HE PKOSPKRITY of the South ought to be ours. 
^Wfc Bound together by the elosest ties of fraternity and in- 
^ terest, we cannot ntford to be unjust or nitolerant. The 
great barrier l)etween us has been removed. The cancer has 
sloughed away and the wound is almost healed. The tassclled 
corn and the blooming cotton must henceforth glow in the 
same great tield. The lake chain of the North must hold the 
anchor of brotherhood, dropped into the mighty gulf of the 
SouthI The stars on our flag, symbolizing the restored States 
of the Tnion, must burn in the nation's heiirt :is well as illniu 
inate its Hag; and then their presence will not Haunt a lie be- 
fore the iraze of mankind I 



WE ALL P.U r LIVE TO DIE. 

1 asked the aged oak that stood 

Beside the outskirts of the wood, 

Why it so old and shapely grew 

And battled ev'r}' gale that blew; 
It whisper'd harshly in my ear 
In words, though trite, 3'^et quite sincere, 
lentil at last a loud shrill cry 
Re-echoed, ''We but live to diel" 



154 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



I asked a tiny little flower 
Just bursting from the dew}' bower, 
What was the power that gave it birth 
And why its leaves adornVl the earth; 
It pointed upward to the light 
That first explored the gloom of night, 
Then dropp'd its petals with a sigh, 
"My friend, we all l)ut live to die." 

I asked a young man proud and gay 

If life to him was but a day. 

The hours of which would swiftly be 

Lost in a dark eternity! 

He turn VI an anxious gaze within. 
Soiled with the hopeless years of sin, 
And this response flashed up the sky, 
"My God! my God! how can I die?" 

I asked a hoary-headed sire 
Who felt no more the youthful fire. 
If no gigantic arm could save 
Nor stay the hunger of the grave; 

His wrinkles gleam'd with saddenVl woe 
■Neath ringlets white as fleecy snow 
From quivering lips came this reply, 
'•''Tis God who made all thino;s to die!" 



OVE IS the Thermopylae of every heart. Christ alone 
i^rnS^ is conqueror here. The realm of human life will do 



""-^^T^'^ homage when this approach is secured. Nothing is too 
much to do for a king who reigns by love, and secures the 
throne by the golden link of that fraternity which makes the 
race one and God its Father! If it is Christ's mission to destroy 
national distinctions, it is ours to forgive personal animosities 
and rise above the tide of resentment. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 155 



THANKSGIVING POEM, 1880. 

Wave? snowy plumes of Northeni ])ine, 

Magnolias how ye to the hrce/e, 
Let your mute teaching blot the line 

AVhioli Hate would stretch between the seas. 
Ve mountain gorges! cleft b^- God, 

Awake your echoes in our ears. 
Ye hills and plains by freemen trod. 

Give back the thrilling voice of years! 

Upon New England's flinty rocks 

Our fathers laid this temple's ])lan, 
Its timbers hewn by battle-shocks 

Were dove-tail'd in the rights of man; 
The right to pray, the right to think. 

Were written on the sun-lit dome. 
From crass V height to ocean brink 

Men droppVl their chains and found a home! 

From Plymouth sped our Goddess on 

Until she touched our golden slope, 
Her dazzling tresses, wove in one, 

Blaz'd with Columbia's stars of hope! 
Linking the steam to lightning H:ish. 

She stretch'd her sceptre o'er the land. 
While harness'd streams and rivers dash 

Their gold to greet her iron hand! 

Though blinded for awhile she Hung 

The bandage from her sightless eyes. 
And angels heard her looscn'd tongue 

AVith holy rapture in the skies, 
A slaveless empire! learn it well 

Ye lords who l)ar(er souls of men, 
We scorn the blasting scourge of hell 

Which broke its chains o'er Lincoln's i)en! 



l56 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



From tall Nevada's flinty peaks 
To hazy Allegheny's green, 
The priesthood of old nature speaks 

From altars built I)y hands unseen. 
Give up ye South! j^e North, give ])ack! 
Let heaven's smile your honor woo; 
Close ranks along the Nation's track — 
A wall of hearts to shelter you. 

This land is God's! since oceans bore 
The hunted exile on their waves, 

To rear a Nation on this shore 

Uncurs'd by tyrants or their slaves; 

Here round these granite hills He flung 
The Everlasting Arms of might, 

And bore our empire frail and young 
Into the hope of Freedom's light. 

This land is God's! our labor yields 

From mine and forge a sure reward, 
And plenty clothes the smiling fields 

With vesture woven by the Lord! 
The spindle's hum — the plow boy's song— 

The svings of commerce on the sea — 
The creakino' engine, swift and strong. 

Bespeak the glory yet to be. 

Oh, dear Republic! hope of earth! 

With all thy giant sinews strung. 
Compel the foes which scorn'd thy birth 

To laud thy fame with willing tongue. 
Arise! and snap the prison l)ars 

That buttress ev'ry despot's throne. 
And write al)ove thy flashing stars. 

The Lord is King, and He alone! 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 157 



GKIT. 

KFI' IS the indetinablecommdrmn propounded by Yankee 

>)\ ingenuity; the cabalistic divining rod of lazy nuigi- 
eians; and the coneri'te apex of ctJUinion .sense, grated, 
polished and rounded, by the sharp grater of human experi- 
ence! Like the fabled oracle of Deiphos, its thrilling and pro- 
phetic tleliverances are now moulded and controlled largely by 
the whimsical dcsu'es and caprice of its ardent votaries. 

Many a young man worships at this shrine who snutt's no 
more of the battle of life than he inhales from the cut glass bot- 
tle of meagre dimensions furnished by his apothecary. He 
waves his handkerchief gracefully, swings his diminutive cane 
symmetricall\', spends his father's money lavishly and dreams 
of kingdoms yet to come and foemen worthy of his steel. 

(irit is not the witless wit of buH'oonerv, which dies with- 
out bread, character, or (Jod. 'i'he man who imdertakes to 
live by his wit is an insolvent capitalist whose notes go to pro- 
test in every l)ank where intelligence exchanges its products. 
Wit will not SAving the ax, build steamships, h^y out railroads, 
sow. reap, or spin I It has no spinal column, cannot walk 
erect, and therefore crawls. It drags itself over the skeleton 
frame work of nol)ility, and some times crowns itself upon the 
throne established by preceding conquerors. It is lazy, mean 
spirited, and sordid. It bedraggles the fair plumage of quick 
repartee in the oozy mire of inaction. Wit has its place in 
character and history, but when it masquerades in the armor of 
grit it furnishes the sorry spectacle of a boy too small for his 
clothes. 

Such a uni(|ue combination is always demoralizing to the 
boy, and frequently ends in the superfluous attire becoming 
rent-a-l)le! A laugh is sometimes atonic, but a man who would 
attempt to live on laughing, will be laughed at. AVit is a good 
paint to beautify and adorn, but is poor material with which to 
build. Pugnacity is frequently mistaken for grit. If a man 



158 G OLDEN GL EA NINGS. 



is comhative, irrital^le, peppery, always ready to fight, he is 
chi^sed with hull-dogs and snapping turtles, and is said to be 
gritty. This false parlance, spawned in the dense darkness of 
unlimited night and sinister ignorance, ought to be forever elim- 
inated from the vocabulary of respectable common sense. The 
swagger of the bully is always the froth of cowardice. 

The (V'sar, the Alexander, the Bonaparte in embryo, is 
usually a l)oy who makes war upon worms, bug«, flies, and 
cats. His grit is power, supremacy and government, without 
a modicum of honor or true courage. Kule, kingship without 
truth, integrity and sympathy becomes the blind unreasoning 
t> ranny of force — the slave of madness and the tool of unholy 
revenge. Grit counts the steps toward its throne — pugnacity 
"■gets there" without caring how. The former grounds its 
hopes upon the fundamental principle of righteous thinking, 
the latter depends on the rapidity and weight of its blows. To 
conquer men we must have something beside the battle-ax. The 
sword may cut oft" a shrub, but it cannot furnish sap for the 
tiniest rootlet. The destruction of life is not power, but its 
nourishment and development is. 

Many things in this world ought to be smashed, and God 
commissions men to smash them; but the pleasure of smashing 
them is to be found in the fact that the smasher is in the line of 
God's command and the verdict of conscience, and not that he 
inflicts pain. The Samaritan heals broken bones, but the high- 
wayman breaks them. Priming hooks are preferable to spears 
in promoting fruitage. Above all, do not apply the misnomer 
'•grit" to that species of courage found most highly developed 
in the wrong end of the evolution train, where hyenas, ser- 
pents and wild cats furnish the music and the entertainment. 
Sometimes cold, cynical criticism is supposed to be grit. A boy 
learns a few facts and — mushroom like — grows enough in one 
night to astound his teacher with his impertinence and critical 
questions. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 159 



He designs now to heat his professor and not to learn, and 
ho foolishly imagines that his pent up bravado, emitting its fre- 
quent and lirilliant scintillations of slumherinir genius, is the 
highest type of grit. His father, proud of the precocious 
youth, boasts to gaping neighbors of the wonderful protieiency 
of his boy and gravely wonders when they will get a teacher 
who will keep ahead of him! At the end of the term the boy's 
grade is not up to the average and the father is nonplussed and 
shocked. He mildly hints that there must l)e favoritism and 
partiality. The boy is not dull, but he has niad(> a wrong w^^^ 
of his powers. The strength expended to entangle the teacher 
would have carried him ))ravely through his lessons. Will a 
man be so foolish as to break his teeth on bones when there is 
meat to eat? 

How many wise men know all about [)reaching, and yet 
they could never get to Thirdly, if they practiced a thousand 
years. They criticise rhetoric, criticise articulation, criticise 
gestures, criticise matter until simple minded people really 
think they know how it ought to be done. A personal demon- 
stration of their extensive knowledge and colossal erudition 
would likely culminate in a hasty l)enediction without the slight 
formality of an Amen. Criticism is not grit. It is not always 
wisdom, but may be the prattle of fools and the jargon of imbe- 
cility. 

Revenge is not grit. Revenge is sweet only to an impure 
heart. It is the silly attempt of sinful and ])erverted powers 
to claim the prerogative of Deity, and distril)ute the puni- 
tive justice of the Almighty. A revengeful man may be en- 
tirely destitute of grit. He may punish an enemy, but he low- 
ers himself in the scale of being. l>ut what is revenge? 
Certainly the motive is everything. If the exposure or punish- 
ment you inflict is consummated with the {)urpose of causing 
some person suffering, irrespective of the relation I)etween such 
suffering and the immortal princi[)le of right thinking and right 
doing, it is revenge of the worst type; but if, on the other 



160 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



hand, yonr cardinal and supreme purpose is to establish truth 
and righteousness in the earth, the })ersonal sutiering you iuHict 
may he incicUuital, unavoidable and necessary. In the latter 
case your best friend may be the victim, and if he is not a better 
friend of truth than of you, he is not worthy of your friend- 
ship. The higher law of human association is God! He whose 
friendship does not emanate from this throne of light, will turn 
his back upon you when moles and bats darken the dim win- 
dows of his soul; forgetting that the sun is still in mid-heaven, 
irradiating and flooding the chambers of darkness with the 
golden light of coming glory. Do not cause any one suflering 
if you can usher in the millenium without it, but if 3^ou cannot 
attain this object without occasioning pain, bring on the mil- 
lenium! Some persons mistakenly suppose that mastery is 
grit. With them majorities are infallible and kings are divine. 
U requires no grit to hold a sceptre when you come to the 
kingdom for this purpose. To be born great is the highest 
calamity. It prevents you becoming great after you are born! 
Mastery may mean political chicanery inst(;ad of virtue; colum- 
biads instead of conscience; sellishness instead of God. It may 
be shared l)y sluggers like Sullivan, I)utchers like Napoleon, and 
tyrants like Nero. Mastery is not triumph. Satan's mastery 
in the garden opened all the poisoned sluice-ways of hell. How 
we attain mastery is much more imi)ortant than examining the 
crown jewels after the coronation. It takes real grit to get 
the throne by proper methods and the same quality is required 
for the proper administration of power. To attain mastery 
righteously is noble, to use it wisely is Goddike. The gaseous, 
voluble talker does not know what grit is. Any body or sub- 
stance constantly efiervescing will throw off its life in vaporous 
difl'usiveness. Human ingenuity cannot utilize escaping steam, 
neither can any one but our Maker ever use the garrulous 
boaster for any legitimate useful purpose that we can see, ex- 
cept it is to test the patience and forbearance of the balance of 
mankind. He always speaks of himself. Possibly he imagines 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. ]r.l 



thiit is the only suhjoct in this wide croution Avorthy of his no- 
tiot'. You have doubtless seen und heard the gentleman. You 
would suppose he was older than Methusaleh, wiser than Solo- 
mon, l)raver than David, and intinitely more eunning than 
Simon MagusI Fleas have tluMr mission. Hies are providen- 
tial, hut the ])eeuliar eonditions of human existence calling for 
the advent of the little ereatuie now under consideration have 
never heen revealed, and seem altogether unrevealal)le. Whether 
you view him retrospectively or prospectiveh' the etl'ect is the 
same. He has accomplished wonders in the past, and he is al- 
ways about to accomplish wonders in the immediate future. If 
you will only wait a little while he will condes^-end to allow you 
to participate in the ctilebration of his daring exploits. Shrewd 
cunning is not grit. Driving sharp bargains and enriching 
ourselves by mercenary greed is no more evidence of grit than 
that a cyclone iutlicates a ])eculiar phase of the moon. What 
the world calls success is often the saddest failure. A brown 
stone front built by oppression or cunning, becomes the monu- 
ment of vice, the eulogy of sin, the crown of hell! Success 
that befogs conscience, destroys morality, stifles the voice of 
God, injures our fellows, closes heaven, is too dear at any 
price. On the other hand, unnoticed by the glaring eye of 
socii'ty, hidden away in the murky dimness and abject squalor 
of some lonely cellar or atic, a brave, unrepining heart, un- 
moved by the pinching blasts of winter and the gnawing teeth 
of hunger, is weaving the web of life that will reveal the golden 
threads of virtuous self-sacritice, resplendent with the immortal 
lustre of iiiiperishable glory I 

\\'h() would not rather walk alone with God in the rags of 
poverty than ride to the pit in the I)lazing chariot of worldly 
success? 

The [)roverbial faultfinder sometimes consoles himself with 
the illusion that this execrable liMl)it is but the gushing super- 
al)undance of gi-it. While there are many things in our social, 
political, and moral life with which every right-minded man 

11 



162 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



must find fault and must vehemently antagonize; yet we must 
discriminate and cautiously avoid the extremes of laudation 
or condenmation, lest the impartiality and circumspection of a 
well poised judgment be lost in the l)lind and unreasoning in- 
stincts of a mere mania. 

The aberrations and al)surdities of the faulttinder are some- 
times ludicrous in the extreme. 

It is said of the historian Hallam that on one occasion he 
spent the evening in dispute and discussion. (Tr)ing to his 
room with his tongue tip[)ed with contradiction and faultfinding, 
he heard the night patrol call the hour of one beneath his win- 
dow as was his habit. Hallam dashed up the window and 
shouted, ''You lie, it lacks a quarter of a minute of it!'' 

Doubtless this was annising to the watchman, l)ut it was 
also injurous to the s})eaker. A torcii is a good thing to apply 
sometimes, but if in in its application, the toich-bcarer burns 
ort' his own hand, it disqualities him for future incendiarism. 

The frog which is always croaking will iicvcm- catch Hies 
enough to satisfy the reasonable demands of :ipi)etite. The 
man looking for spots on the sun always lilackens the media of 
oI)servation. This opaque (piality which keeps out the light of 
the sun will also prevent you seeing the beauty of rivers, 
mountains, land-scapes, birds and flowers. 

Smoked glass is the thing you need in looking for sun 
spots, but the crystalline lens of unobstructed vision must l)e 
called into requisition when you look for beauty, bread or 
worth. The man who spends all his time looking for spots will 
himself become a spot, so unsavory, loathsome and detested 
that humanity will rejoice to see the pale horse stamp it out! 
While the subtle and mysterious presence of grit may have thus 
far eluded our keenest research and analysis, we cannot aban- 
don our search amid the cobwebs which negation and conjec- 
ture have woven across our pathway. Grit is a reality and not 
a ghostly apparition. It is a proper sense of right. It grows 
and developes in the light. Its victories are based upon the 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. ir>3 



luminous udjustiiuMitot' nioriil re('(itu<le in the conscience. It 
is the incarnation of soul life. It gives to every man his due, 
commensurate with the facts known and never stealthily assas- 
sinates. It despises hypocrisy, insinuation and unfairness. It 
aims to destroy wrong principles rather than men. It never 
exults ov«'r misfortune, never laughs at the funeral of an enem^'. 
It enthrones the truth. Whatever l>attle it tights, whatever 
sacritice it makes, whatever victory it wins, its weapons and its 
trophies are found in this citadel of n)assive strength. While 
dream\' warriors are lyiiii'' in their trenches, or I)uil(lin2: earth- 
works which are decidedly earthy, or consulting the topography 
of the enemy's country or the statistical report of his armies, 
"grit'' dashes in and plants its banner where all the world may 
see. In the estimate of true grit ti<;htin<]: on the right side is 
alwi'ys a victory. A victory over wrong impulses, wrong as- 
pirations, wrong motives, wrong action, whether individual or 
collective, is a victory over which (Jod smiles though we stand 
alone in the tight. To be in harmony' with God and conscience 
is the grandest heroism. The giants of whom the world has 
not been worthy have been those who have stood with their faces 
towards the opening gates of the morning, rather than those 
who have looked through the dusky twilight of the evening to- 
ward tlu> eventful past. 

The latter class read and chronicle the epochs of history, 
the former class make history. The chroniclers write down 
what the others do. (lalileo walked among the stars; his biog- 
raphers tell us where he walked. Columbus saw across the At- 
lantic; historians tell us what an acute eyesight Columl)Us had. 
Patrick Henry saw the oppression of England when the minions 
of the king cried "•Treason.'' After more than a century 
has passed we have concluded that Patrick Henry was right. 
Fulton conceived the idea that a steam l)oat could navigate the 
Hudson; w(> tiiink now that the undertaking is feasible and i)rac- 
tical)le. Morse thought electricity might be used in the trans- 
mission of news; \vc think so too. Wendell Phillips said slav- 



164 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



ery was sinful; we are all on that side now. Abraham Lincoln 
said the nation could not exist half slave and free. Four years 
of bloody war, the freedom of the slave and nearly a quar- 
ter of a century of prosperity have almost brought us to that 
point of mental outlook occupied by Lincoln before a blow was 
struck. In other words, we can read history almost as well after 
it is made as these prophetic seers could read it before it was 
made, and 'Mvas yet without form and void.'' The fanatics of 
one age are frequently the heroes of another. The torch of 
our higher civilization always quivers along the picket line of 
the advancing army of human progress. We imagine it re- 
quires great bravery to march in the light kindled by other 
hands and our stolid, lazy conservatism, rattles its unused 
bucklers with sueh a verdant show of valor, that our stupidity 
and our vanity become rival contestants for the crown of self- 
congratulation. 

Cfrit is never moulded into hardness — like a cook stove — 
in the hot and fusing tires of popular clamor; it kindles the 
tires and blows the bellows! It never chang-es color like the 
chameleon to suit its surroundings, never has the familiar 
squeak of the politician; is not a craven and a coward, ready to 
fly because of numbers; asks no company but God, no weapon 
but truth and no victory but the conscious help of these two! 
Here the brave words of Dr. Joseph Parker seem so appropri- 
ate that we quote them: "No man is at lil)erty to stray away 
at the bidding of his fancy, upsetting the order of civilization 
and inflicting discomfiture upon all who are connected with him 
merely to gratify a whimsical curiosity. Society is founded 
upon order! Permanence is a condition of healthy growth. On 
the other hand, where men are called of God to go forth, it 
should l)e theirs instantly and gladly to obey, how dark soever 
or stormy the night into which they move. Life is a discipline. 
Shrewd men say they want to know whither they are going be- 
fore they set out on a journey; but men of higher shrewdness.^ 
men of christian faith, often go out into enterprise and difficulty 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 165 



without hoino: al)le to see one step before them. The wateh- 
wortl of the nobh^st, truest souls is: "We walic by faith, not 
by sight." Faith has a wicU'r (h)niini()M aii'l a more splendici 
future! I rail upon eliristian young men to sliow the pra(^tical 
strength of faith. Don't pick your treml)ling st(>ps across the 
stones pioneers have hiid for yon; be your own pioneers, make 
your own ways and sliow the originality and high (hu'ing of 
profound trust in (lod. I (hire say you may be afraid of rash- 
ness — you are partly right, yet it is possil)l(> yon may hardly 
know what rashness is. It is certain that the world is deeply 
indebted to its rash men, its first travellers, its leading spirits. 
Prudence, in its ordinary but most inadequate sense, has done 
very little for the world, except to tease and hinder many of 
its masters and sovereigns; it would have ke})t back ever}"^ 
mariner from the deep and deterred every traveller from the 
desert — it would have put out the tires of science and clip})ed 
the wings of poetry — it would have kept Abram at home, and 
found Moses a comfortable settlement in P^gy pt. Beware of 
imprudent prudence; it will lull you to sleep and bring \ow to 
a nameless and worthless end. Make heaven 3'our aim! 

"Complain not that the way is long— 
What road is weary that leads there? 
But let the angel take thy hand 
And lead thee up the misty stair, 
And there with l)eating heart await 
The opening of the golden gate." 

Grit is independent in thought, radical in conclusion, right 
in judgment. It makes bitter enemies and lasting friend^^. It 
defentls truth l)ecause it is truth. It detests expediency as the 
badge of cowards and r(!negades. It would not lift itselt by 
its boot straps, but with the leverage of righteousness would 
lift the world. It made Al)raham Lincoln's wood chopping 
the rugged school which graduated four million bcmdnien in one 



166 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



class! It made Garfield janitor of a college building that he 
might leave the presidential chair for a throne, and sweep the 
mournful dirges of a tearful world about an honored grave! It 
carried D. L. Moody from ol)scurity to renown and will leave 
to history the indellible marks of every step of that weary wa^^ 
Do not infer from these examples that grit will always make 
men great in the eyes of mankind. Far from it. Men are not 
all kings in the estimation of their fellows, and yet there are 
many crowns which escape detection? Grit cannot make dia- 
monds out of brickbats nor l)read out of chaff; and yet grit will 
utilize the brickbats, and l>e sharp enough to preserve the chaif 
that we may have bread. 

(irit always has courage to say no. AMien mistaken fem- 
inine hospitality proffers the wine glass filled with the rul)y 
sparkling liquid of death, grft sees the (!oiled serpent in the 
dregs and hisses through clenched teeth such an emphatic re- 
fusal as to send a shiver of alarm and conviction of wrong 
through the treinl>ling heart tli;it would thus tempt a soul to- 
ward death. 

Wiien the goddess of fashion rears its fantastic shapes and 
distorted features, making the huiuan form divine so grotesque, 
that it is uidike anything in hcMvcu. on ciuth, or under the 
earth, grit arises in indignant simplicity, and refuses comi)li- 
ance with the whimsical edicts of Paris or the devil! AVhen 
tobacco, cards, theatres or dime novels woiild usurp con- 
trol of the human will, grit stirs up the natives loitering in 
the shadows of the mind, and marshalling its forces enters the 
field of confiict where it continues to bleed and die until the in- 
truders are expelled. The young man professing godliness 
should have gi'it CMiough to hurl the slimy venom of the scoHer 
l)ack into his face with such witherinc;" force as to convince him 
that it is not safe for an uncircumcised Philistine to tamper 
with one of (bxTs elect. Grit will defend the innocent, the un- 
fortunate, the Mged, Mild ilecrepid. It reverences worth and 
detests shams. Jt li:is no synq)athy with tluit form of society 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 167 



wliich puts the gilded collar of custom around men's necks and 
then leads them mutely into the deceitful quagmires of corrup- 
tion. It makes God the soul of the universe! 

Like the eagle, its eye is upon the sun, hut it has sharj) tal- 
ons for the vermin l)elow! It smites the high and hel})s the 
lowly. It is a diamond for angels to admire and a lance for 
tyrants to fear! It is the grappling hook which holds con- 
science to the pole of integrity; the Hre that consumes the dross 
of inditierence, the banner which kindles the enthusiasm of the 
soul, the unquenchable spirit that endures :dl things, the cimeter 
that smites through the helmet of antiipie and fossilized wrong, 
and the l)right and fragrant tlower of hope glittering in the sun- 
light, gilding the Alpine heights above us. and beckoning us 
upward along crag and precipice and canon, amid dashing cas- 
cades and slippery paths, until the calm and golden drapery of 
life's sunset sluill wraj) about us the dusky folds of night and 
leave us to our dreams and our crownis! 

*'Does th<' road wind up-hill all the way? 
Yes, to tlu' very end. 
AA ill the day's journey take the whole long day^ 
From morn to night, my friend. 

'*But is there for the night a resting placed 

A roof, for when the slow dark hours begin, 
May not the darkness hide it from my face? 
"^'ou cannot miss that inn. 

"Shall I mei't other Avayfarers at nights 
To those that have gone Itefore. 
Then must I knock or call when just in sights 
'I'hey will not 1<(M'1) you standing at the door. 

"Shall I lind comfort. trav<'l-sore and weak? 
Of labor you shall lind the sum. 
Will there be beds for me and all who seek^ 
Yea, beds for all who come." 



168 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Let me insist that life is what yon make it. Opportunity 
is God's stimulus to action. Yon pass this way but once. 
Pluck flowers by the wayside, but do not forget that a starving 
world needs bread. Sentiment is good, but action is better. Do 
not make your life the dream of the sophist nor the drudge of 
the slave. Make it bright with the hope of inspiration, sweet 
with the savor of love, active with the spur of duty, and thought- 
ful with the awful realties of time and eternity. 

''I saw two clouds at morninof 

Tinged with tlie rising sun, 
And in the dawn they floated on 

And mingled into one; 
I thought that morning cloud was blest. 
It moved so sweetly to the west. 

"I saw two summer currents 

Flow smoothly to their meeting, 
And join their course with silent force, 

In peace each other greeting; 
Calm was their course through banks of green 
While dimpling eddies played between. 

"Such l)e your gentle motion 

Till life's last pulse shall beat; 
Like summer's beam and summer's stream 

Float on in joy to meet 
A calmer sea where storms shall cease, 
A purer sky where all is peace." 



THE HOUR COMETH. 

, [The following lines were suggested on hearing of the trag- 
ical death of Brother Row% of Missouri, who was instantly killed 
by the cars. The deceased was a young man of fine promise, 
a sweet singer, with whom the writer passed many pleasant 
moments when visiting the state ([uite recently. May God 
bind up the hearts smitten by this terrible catastrophe.] 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 109 



Hush! see the form of sinewy steel. 
With fiery heart and heated wheel. 
Dash like the lightnino^, peal on })eal, 

Adown the track I 
What awful presage seems to peer 
From the hlanchM face of engineer. 
As hearts are wrapped in silent fear 

And (jiiiver on the rack. 

There stands between the throbbing rails 
The man whose courage never fails, 
Where duty calls or crime assails 

Unconscious now; 
He does not hear the grating wheel, 
The whistling steam nor clanging steel, — 
O God! we wait to see him feel 

The iron-banded brow! 

AVith eyes averted from the shock 
As hearts repel the axe-man's block. 
Quite helpless as the flinty rock. 

We wait with fear; 
Quick as the tempest's angry scream 
The creaking valves and hissing steam, 
With iron cordon, seam on seam. 

Flashed on without a tear. 

Then picking up that human form 
As leaves are flung on wings of storm. 
The young life, bounding, hopeful, warm, 

Is dash'd to death; — 
With reddened nerves the monster stands 
As if to wash its iron hands. 
And fan its heated, throbbing bands 

In the dark angeTs l>re'ith! 



170 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Without a warning voice he seems 
PUicked from the vision hmd of dreams, 
From darkness into flashing beams! 

Without a sigh; 
Ready to heed his Master's call, 
The sunbeams gather ""round h?s pall — 
On such no shadows ever fall, 

For it is bliss to die. 

His song will never pierce the gloom 
That hides his body in the tomb, 
Where snow will fall and flowers bloom 

To mark the grave; 
But with the choirs above he'll sing 
And to their music he will bring 
A soul that nestled 'neath the wing, 

Once wounded here to save! 



., TOLENCT^^ 18 always the weapon of ernn-, persecution 
jWi/. the argument of the mob! The party which has noth- 
^ ing but spite wdien beaten is never worthy of success. 

The party of whatever name, whose virtue and morality have 
evaporated, leaving nothing but the hot cinder of invective, 
ought to die and be l)uried in the potter's held without a mourn- 
er or benefit of clergy. 



THE DEAD STRANGER. 

[At Decatur, Ills., a stranger spent all his money at the 
saloon, when the saloonkeeper, true to the proverbial kindness 
of his trade, turned the stranger out. In the morning he was 
found frozen stiff" and cold, the grim monster having kissed his 
soul away in the darkness of the night.] 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. \1\ 



l>ni'y him out of sight! 

Oh! the h()iTil)k> l)light! 

Cart hiiu out to the potter's tiold. 

Cover him up with earthen sliieUI. 
Me came to the city a stranger forh)rn, 
Tatter\l and beggarM with the frost of scorn. 
He's dead! Dead ainonir stranofers and alone. 
Dead, without even a pillow of stone. 
Dying from freezing — the friendless unknown! 

Oh, the burning shame, 

Like consuming tlame 

Touching (Christ's dear name. 



Once a mother blessed, 

Kissed and caressed 

The dimpled darling on her knee, 

Little recking what soon would 1)C. 
Dashed on the rocks o'er a bloody brink. 
He falls with a thud, the victim of drink; 
Did his mother see where the dear boy fell^ 
Did she hear his wail and the demon yell^ 
That scorched his hrow with the breath of hell! 

(iod. f«»rl»id the sight. 

Let this cruel blight 

Be veiled in awful niirht ! 



Men, for the love of Sfold, 
Blasted, wrecked and sold. 
Deal out death at their finger tips. 
The adder's sting through parching lips; 
\\'hen the wild delirium fills the l)rain. 
They would wash tluMr hands of the searlet stain. 
Out into the liercc cold the wreck nnist go. 
Crazed and shivering to be treated so, 



172 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



The warm heart frozen by the waves of woe! 
There the stranger lies. 
Quivers, gasps and dies I 
God! turn away our eyes! 

Nobody is to bhime, 

This, the verdict of shame — 

Bury him under the white snow, 

Good angels, tread lightly and slow: 
Christian hearts! mingle with prayer to-night. 
The leprous blot of this horrible sight; 
Crimsoned with wrong your ballots now speak. 
In the death-damp gathering on that pale cheek- 
Your Christ is sold for the blood of the weak! 

Plant your ballots deep. 

Surely graves will keep 

The harvest you shall reap! 



ROVE and campmeetings seem to be in a transition state, 
or to have taken a new departure. Recreation, gym- 
nastics, boat rowing, croquet, pastry and refined cook- 
er}^ have been in a large measure sul)stituted for sacrifice and 
devotion. 



ANNIE AND I. 



Roses have faded, Annie, since we were young. 

And the dew that sparkled beneath our feet 
Has risen to sweeten the mists that flung 

Their soft white arms o'er the relics we meet. 
We cannot forget the Ijright curling stream — 

The meadow that kissVl the lips of the wave, — 
The mosses that wove their fringe in our dreams, — 

Or the pebbles that smiled in their watery grave. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 178 



IjOw bending the willows, which shaded that spot, 

And fragrant as spices, the new-mown hay, 
The ffolden-laccd bee — and fors^ct -me-not. 

Kept time in the song, of our wedding <lay! 
Yonr great brown eyes with their lashes wet 

(TiancM o'er the hills and the mcailows green, 
With a far-away look which trembles yet 

Like a fairy vision, more felt than seen! 

Th'3n roses bloomed on your youthful cheek 

And lips would blush with the music of love. 
When these harps of the soul were mov'd to speak 

And seal the sw(H3t vows recorded al)oveI 
How often then from the willow's dark shade 

We watch'd the golden rays of the sun, 
Painting the shadows of lover and maid 

On the glassy waters too lazy too run. 

Your hand in mine, we climbed the steep hill. 

Scenting the clover that bloom'd in our way, — 
And the rising lark with its throbl)ing trill. 

Would leave its nest where the long grasses lay. 
'Twas then we looked from your childhood's home, 

Facing the bright amber glow in the west, 
Its golden blush, like the tint on the foam. 

When sea waves seem rocking the sun to rest. 

But roses have paled through these weary years 

And my ijonny brown hair is sprinkled with gray. 
Yet sunshine has crept through our falling tears. 

But to fashion the rainbow o'er our way! 
H(nv little we knew of the way we were led, 

Each step was a venture, each pathway untrod. 
But helping each other the shadows all Hed 

And left us to follow the cfuidance of (lod! 



174 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Let the roses fade if they will, my love! 

The stalk that bears them will winter the blast, 
And the leaves which scatter their gloom above 

Will but warm the life of the changeful past. 
The springtime comes when roses will bloom 

And we shall pluck them again by the way, 
Thornlcss and lovely, we'll share their perfunje 

As we walk in the light of the sunless day! 



^^Tg^K LEARN, too, that (iod rules. He laughs at the imag- 
'^^W;hF i'l'ii'y defenses which men throw about their lives. 
^^=^^^ He turns the protective agencies devised by human 
wisdom into swift messengers of destruction. He brings the 
lioasted wisdom of the race down to the dust. He scorns the 
high looks of arrogant and presumptive pride and rides in his 
fury over the graves of l)oasted in\entions. The Hoods leap 
and clap their hands t)ver desolated homes; the tires lick up the 
wealth of generations and kiss with their cremating touch the 
tlushed cheek of beauty; the paths of the sea are shrouded in 
fogs and the great ships freighted with humanity stagger and 
shiver in the concussion of death; the mines resound with the 
groans, the j)rayers and curses of the dying, while high above 
this chaotic night, mingled with blood, we read the verdict of 
penitent Israel, The Lord He is the (lod! 



THAT MOONLIGHT KIDE. 

The winds were hushed in silence. 

The sun sank in the ^^\>st, 
The birds had ccasVl their carols 

For calm and peaceful rest; 
The pi'oud and leafy tree-tops 

With all their stately pride, 
Could not shut out the beauties 

Of that calm moonlight ride. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 175 



No clouds ol)sciu''<l the heavens. 

No shadows diniin'd the light 
AMiich fell like Hoods of l)eauty 

To kiss the gloom of night; — 
While like a glowing diamond 

Each star of promise vied, 
To shed a ray of glory 

Upon that mooidight rid(>. 

All nature seem'd reposing 

Beneath the silver stream 
That glanced upon the water 

With soft ctVulgcnt l»cam; 
Thus blended with eartlTs beauties, 

That night has never died. 
But still in fond remembrance 

Is kept that moonlight ride. 

And thus through life I'll cherish 

The glorie's of that night — 
Its scenes of fairy visions, — 

Its tints of mellow light; 
How sweet the balmy fragrance 

AVhile loving breezes sighed — 
The starry dome of heaven 

Which lit that moonlight ride. 



From Edlogij <>u Jo/id B. GoikjIi. 

f S AN ORATOR, John 15. (iough is uni(|ue and alone. 
His sentences were but the scintillating si)arks from a 
— • heart of tire. They always revealed the presence of 
the mighty engine, propelling the heavy train of stupendous 
and controlling influences. His wit was sharp as a rapier, and 
always ready. His sarcasm was crushing, but without bitter- 



176 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



ness. His apt grouping of divergent propositions was without 
a parallel in the history of oratory. His illustrations were so 
vivid, so realistic, so apalling, that they would sting like an 
adder, hut without its venom; or they would rouse the sleeping 
conscience like the scream of the eagle, or the roar of the lion, 
hungry for his prey! His audiences were his in an emphatic 
sense. He led them to the precipice of death where they shiv- 
ered in mortal dread; or beside the murmuring brooklets fringed 
with flowers, where they heard the music of birds; or like the 
skv-lark j^reetine: the golden battlements of the morning, he 
rose upward, higher and higher, bearing on his flaming pinions 
the tears, the sympathies, the emotions of his auditors, even as 
the noble bird glistens with the crystal dew of the morning in 
the gates of the blushing dawn! His pathetic appeals would al- 
most wring tears of blood from a heart of stone. His soothing 
tones were like the notes of AppoUo's harp. His trumpet blast 
was like the voice of the cataract, awful in its majesty and 
grandeur. Whether addressing the illiterate peasantry or the 
cultured audiences of Princeton, Cambridge or Oxford, he was 
at home alike, in the graphic delineation of his subject and its 
harmonious adaptation to his auditory. With the simplicity of 
childhood and the modesty of a coy maiden, his versatile com- 
binations made him so perfectly the child of nature, that whether 
playing upon the grass with the rollicking child-life of Spar- 
tan sim})licity, or sweeping against the stars, he always seemed 
to be just where he ought to be. He was never hampered by 
false or inflexible rules. His elocution was like the warble of 
a bird. It was nature's voice from nature's child inspired by 
nature's God. His poverty, his suflering, his orphanage, his 
fall, his rescue, his lack of education, his pure life, his advocacy 
of total abstinence, his wonderful oratory, his noble sentiments, 
his dying legacy; all woven together by the throbbing arteries 
of living action, reveal the most thrilling drama which human 
life can possibly exhibit. His dying words were but the epit- 
ome of his own life. He does not ask you to go where he has 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 177 



not gone. In all the olouionts of a groat and noMc manhood' 
he stands before the youlh of this great eountry as the exem- 
plar of self-denial, self-enlture, and a lnoad, sweet brotherhood 
wliieh rebukes the sham and hypocrisy of the age in which we 
live. 




^BKAHAM LIN(X)LN was a notable instance of natural 
capacity for leadership. He had the elements within 
him. and the hard i)rivations of life developed and 
strengthenetl these as much as a delicate and tender life of imi- 
tation would have weakened them. He was not pinioned by 
the ancestral regulations of the past. He was the rugged child 
of nature and his utterances partake of almost })rophetic 
strength and beauty. When most of the scholarly literature 
of the age will be forgotten and buried in the grave of oblivion 
his epigrams will tlash out like the stars of a new dispensation. 
This is nothing against learning. Not at all. It is sinjply the 
illustrious example of a man who gave the original native licnt 
of his mighty genius its proper and legitimate place in the train- 
ins of his mind and life. All learidni:-. culture and association 
with men were made tributary to original gifts and not their 
masters. 



^/^UK FAITH in God is the ultimate climax of that very 
A vJy pliilosopliy of faith which scientists acknowledge in 
*^^^ science but deny in religion. AVe experiment with the 
moral faculties. We find no rest in the mad whirl of secular 
mental excitement. The soul longs for peace and finds none. 
From the depths of our anguish w(^ cry for help, and Christ 
answers, "■Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, 
and I will give you rest."' \\^' go to the fountain of all science 
and find the deepest philosophy. (Jod pardons sin, removes 
the burden, gives peace through our Lord Jesus Christ, just 



178 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



as he said he would do; and now we have little diminutive crea- 
tures all about us — mere moles — fingering the fringes of the 
Almighty's mantle, glittering with star dust or throbbing with 
the lightning's Hash; gravely and dignifiedly informing us that 
they must have more evidence. 



^^vg/r'HEN THESE ministerial idolators are confronted by 
^j^il L^'^^ the majest}' of God's justice will they untie their 
^^ pursestrings, like juvenile brigands and rattle the 
money made out of marrying God's holy day to a rabble bent 
on frolic, as a sufficient offset to the law of him whom they pro- 
fess to serve? Let them forever abandon the unholy maxim 
that we can ''work evil that good may come." This is a lie, 
without any varnish whatever. It is the devil's naked hook. A 
fool can see who has cast that line. The man who nil)l)les there 
need not be in a doubt where he will land. The train which 
breaks through the law of God is liable to be switched off at 
every curve on the road. 



J^c^jl ERE LET US learn that communion of spirit is not to 
Sfflf be maintained by gladiatorial feats of intellect; by 
' ^^ tests of mental grasp, nor by ostentatious displays of 
superior attainments. The love of a parent for his child is al- 
ways reciprocated in the ratio of the parent's condescension to 
the plane of the child. This principle is true in divine things. 
We love God all the more because he came down to us. If we 
are Godlike, human fellowship will exhibit this principle. Nor 
does this view imply the surrender of a single element of true 
manhood. Docs the apparent abasement of Christ lower his dig- 
nity in the eyes of, a true faith? Does the manger rob him of 
his glory; does the cross conceal his divinity; does the grave strip 
away the royalty of the king? By putting the communion of 
spirit on this gracious, loving plane where Christ put it, we 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 179 



behold at once the streiiirth of ;i consecrated companionship. 
This communion of spirit is socliildlike, so sweet, so tender, 
that like the fragile vine sustaining the foliage of its delicate life, 
it may be nipped by the slight frost of adversity, and limp, 
and sear, and dead — become the faded symbol of former glory! 




I 



'ORK :\IAKES MUSCLE. It enlarges the brain and 
the attections. It honors and dignities. Its oppo 
site — laziness — is the advertisement of dishonesty. 
Young men who will not work will beg or steal. They go to 
perdition by way of the almshouse, the penitentiary or the gal- 
lows. A man too good to work is too good to live. He ought 
to get out of a world where even worms are l»usy. He ought 
to di(! and get wings. Even these should be self-acting. The 
man who will not sweat by work will probably sweat without 
it ultimately. 



THE MAN BEHIND THE F>AR. 

With apron white and shppcrs tight 

He moves with faultless tread. 
His cheek ablaze for l)loody frays, 

The vultiu'e rank and red; 
With ti<rer's claw and fan<;s of law. 

He leaves a poisonM scar. 
His Saltbath bell, the groans of hell! 

The man l)ehind the bar. 
Chorus — Of all the trades which handle spades, 

The meanest one by far, 
Is digging graves with whisky staves, 

The man behind the l»ar. 



ISO GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



His counter smears of blood and tears— 

His license on the wall, 
Scorch with the Ijreath of liquid death, 

The homes of great and small; 
His legal graves and thirsting slaves 

Come trooping from afar — 
Like gory brands, to clasp his hands, 

The man behind the bar. 
Chorus — 

Oh God! to think, that on this brink 

The millions stand and wait. 
Too blind to see, to dead to be 

AlarniM to see our fate! 
Awake, arise, lift up your eyes 

And hail our natal .star, — 
Death is our bane if we retain 

Th(^ man behind the bar. 
Chorus — Of all the trades which handle spades, 

The meanest one by far. 
Is digging graves with whisky staves, 

The man behind the bar. 




) p]N VAINLY DREAM of a conservative or eompro- 
misiuo- ivligion, as though heaven and hell could be 
united, light and darkness blended, (iod and mam- 
mon married and Jesus Christ made a liar and impostor. 

Anything which destroys human happiness is an enemy of 
religion, and every supporter of human wretchedness is an 
enemy of God. Every man that stands in a halting, compro- 
mising position in relation to this terrible woe, arrays himself 
against the Almighty, his truth, his Son, his creatures. Let a 
man jyive aid and comfort to Sabbath-breakers, and how can he 
be said to '^iemember the Sabbath day to keep it holyf If 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. l8l 



your house is a dopositoiy for stoleu goods, you are equally 
guilty with the man that picks locks and carries the proceeds 
of his labor to your dwelling. By what parity of reasoning or 
deadncss of conscience can you escape the conclusion that when 
you aid or abet the manufacture or sale of this deadly poison, 
in any manner, shajxi or form, you are aiding and alK'tting the 
robbery of our National treasury; rejoicing over a common 
theft, and in the sight of (Jod guilty of grand larceny. Nay, 
worse than this. You steal the property of a feUow-man. and 
his character and his soul are tainted by the rolibeiy. Sanc- 
tion themakino- or vendinij of intoxicating drinks mikI nou rob 
weak men of their property, and heart-broken women of hope 
and character. You not only take away farms, houses and 
lands, but you steal a respectal)le burying lot in the cemeter}^ 
and give in i-etm-n six feet of tlowerless earth in an obscure 
corner of the potter's Held! This, you say, is Christianity. This, 
you say, is doing unto others as you would have others do un 
to you. I say it is the wine of perdition and the charity of 
hell! It is a religion born in oppression, cradled in slaughter 
and nourished in blood. Take away these elements of its life, 
and it dies a hopeless death without any prospect of a resur- 
rection. 

4r ET us RECO(iNIZE the great fact tiiat religion, to be 
J|^^ anything worthy the name of him who died for a 
-^^ ' world of sinners, is a })rinciple clothed with the pity of 
our fathers' (rod; stretching from pole to pole, from continent 
to continent, from kingly glory to squalid poverty', from civil- 
ization to idolatry, from the past to the present, and on to the 
great future; everywhere lifting up the debased, humbling the 
haughty, enriching the poor in spirit and opening tlie })rison 
doors to those that arc bound. Here are thousands groaning 
under a servitude worse tlmn the chains of Pharaoh. Tlieir 
stilled, helpless cries rend the lowering (hirkness with the wail 
of agony and death. They turn to you with tears and suppli 



182 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



cations expecting that you will be true to your Leader, giving 
hope and sympathy to the oppressed, and crushing beneath 
your manly tread the magic wand of magicians and sorcerers, 
which has so long bewitched the nations. Will you be true to 
God and droAvn this modern Pharaoh in the depths of oblivion, 
or will you be false to heaven and tighten the shackles already 
chafing the bleeding limbs of your kindred? O, that God might 
speak as on Sinai, tipped with lightning and convulsed with 
thunder, that the chariots of his power and his glory might 
roll on in triumph over every instrument of slavery and death, 
until the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of 
our Lord and his Christ! 



^Y/f/^E ARE TOLD prohibition would not be sustained by 
Jll|il the people. Oh, majority, majorit}'! thou god of 
W<^^ sin and madness! Who does not know that majori- 
ties are sometimes blind, and deaf, and dumb? In 1850, the 
infamous Fugitive Slave l>dl passed the congress of the United 
States, received the signature of the President and the sanction 
of a large portion of the people of this country. Who thinks 
now that that bloodthirsty instrument of death was an honor to 
the men that gave it a being? 

IJut pray tell me, has twenty-four years of conflict, toil 
and blood, washed out the iniquity of that act? On the bright 
morning that this infamous bill became a law was it not as ma- 
lignant, foul, and wicked in the sight of a just God as when, 
in after years, the engines of war ground it to powder on th(^ 
battle-field? Thousands desire to roll with the torrent of pub- 
lic opinion, little caring whether tjiey are boi-ne toward heaven 
or hell. Like the iloating log in an angry current they obey 
the ca[)rico of the tide. They dare not look up stream, fear- 
ing that they may be landed high and dry \ipon some sandy 
beach where the [)eople are wholly unacquainted with their su- 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 183 



pei'lntive titness for the best oflSce in the gift of their periodical 
constituenc3^ These men never see any rights of Imnianity 
which they are hound to respect. They are like moles that can 
see no further than they dig. They always Hy with the wind, 
and if the storm should be contrary they craftily kee]) in doors 
until the sunshine comes in at the window. These are temper- 
ate men in sentiment, but their ballots always look like cork- 
screws for the saloon keeper! When temperance becomes jx)})- 
ular in politics, these men will be suddenly metamorplioscd in 
to self-elected martyrs for the cause, ready to run, tight, burn, 
or die. We want a })ublic sentiment that has some respect for 
the souls, bodies and property of others, and that would as 
soon sanction legal enactments in favor of horse stenling as 
vote a license to unprincipled men to sell a Ii(|uid ])()ison to who 
ever will l)uv, thereby scatterincj tirebrands, arrows and <h\ith, 
and feeding jails, almshouses, penitentiaries and scattblds. May 
God unite the l)eauty of education, the purity of religion, the 
equity of law, in an unbroken trinity of power and glory, that 
together, in solid colunm, we may hurl the batteries of truth 
against the bristling ramparts of the enemy, and dismanth^ 
every fort, trample the pirate flag beneath our feet, dethrone 
the t} rant king that has stolen a scei)ter and a crown, • and 
shout the jubih'i' of rescued, emancipated innnanity! 



^|ljp]^ O SOONER has Eve sinned than she approaches the man 
lIP/^ with the most S{)ecious and insinuating sophistry, to 
•^ ^^ induce him to become a partaker in her crime. Is it 
not enough that one heart is turned away from God; that one 
fair face is clouded with the pall of nights Must the vessel 
made to honor be so (juickly marred!; Is the fair fabric in 
God's image to be so suddenly shivered to atoms by the breath 
of a false attection? Is the beautiful creature that (Jod designed 
to assist man toward heaven become a stepping stone toward 
perdition^ Will not the one stricken heart sorrow and ble<'d 



184 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



alone? Exercising all the arts of womanly strategy and cun- 
ning ingenuity, Eve silently l)ut surely approaches the citadel 
of Adam's heart. She does not boast of her conquest, but her 
victory is all the more complete for that. There is no sound 
of trumpets in a woman's real triumphs. The stoutest hearts 
are moved by the gentle appeals of her soul's richest treasures 
of affection; and leading the strong and mighty with the silken 
ties of her mysterious power, she presents at once the most pe- 
culiar combination of opposite characteristics to be found in 
any organization which God has created. She is weak, 3'et 
vested Avith almost unlimited power; she is beautiful in her gen- 
tleness and modesty, yet repulsive and ungainly when swayed 
l)y the tempest of passion; she is giddy and vacillating, yet ca- 
pable of forming attachments stronger than death; she is vain 
and pompous in her display, yet her reticence and reserve at 
times discover the grandest glories of human nature; she falls 
to the lowest depths of degradation, and rises to the loftiest 
heights of moral heroism and saintly purity. Such is woman! 
the lowest representative of the race when fallen, the highest 
embodiment of earth's grandeur and glory when occupying 
her true estate. By the sober contemplation of the wrong ap- 
plicalion of female influence in the disastrous history of Eve, 
let woman learn her power and consider her ways. Society is 
moulded and fashioned at her bidding, and she should beware, 
lest becoming dizzy with her successes she wields her magic 
power in a wrong direction. She should remember that iier 
power is to be accounted for. She is a steward holding the 
keys of the world in her hand. While nations bow .at her feet 
she must be careful to bow to her Ood. Let her heart be lifted 
up -to God for strength, that the proverbial curiosity of her sex 
may not betray her into sin; let her power never l)e used to 
foster the selfish jealousy of mean and sordid spirits, but rather 
let the warm, womanly sympathies of her tenderest affections 
be thrown out as a mantle of christian charity, to cover the 
painful wounds of bleeding society. Her words of warning, 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 185 



when rightly spoken, will arrest the hardest heart. Her sweet 
and pathetic yearning after lost souls will open the way for 
God's grace. Her songs of j)raise and nc»tcs of prayer will kin- 
dle the rapture of enthusiasm when law is a failure and defeat 
mocks the impotent etibrts of the strong arm of authority and 
government. Her children will rise up to call her blessed, or 
their sinful, distorted lives will heap the curses of wasted years 
upon her l>lasted memory. Oh, what moiucnlons issues hang 
around the magic shrine of woman's power. (Juardian of our 
race, she becomes the arbiter of her destiny. She is the custo- 
dian of public morals, the grand artificer of human government 
and the crowning architect of education. Her law of love is 
supreme, running through all the ramifications of society, con- 
trolling every element, transfoi-ming every desire, lifting up 
the low or debasing the high, she leads the great heart of hu- 
manity captive at her will, and binds mankind in willing slavery 
at the chariot wheels of her queenly authority. This is wom- 
an's power; let her see that she does not abuse the trust com- 
mitted to her hands. 



j-j OD REIGNS; lot all the earth rejoice. The march of 
Al^^^ nations records his ])urp()ses and designs. This nation 
''^^^ shows the foot-prints of God in rended bolt and broken 
chain. An Arm unseen has held us in tempest, storm and 
blood, until we have grown familiar to the touch of a parent. 
and we look into the eager eyes and scan the watchful face of 
our Protector, and say. Our Fatherl Israel was dandled in the 
arms of God, while kinofs raffed and thirsted for his blood, but 
the pillar of tire lit up the darkest caverns of the wilderness. 
The cruel tigers of oppression were driven to their dens by the 
death dealing armor of the .Mmighty. while his chosen ones 
nestled in safety I)eneath the feathers of his wing, (iuided by 
the (lod of liberty, our forefathers planted Christianity and civ- 
ilization on this continent. l>oundin«:- from Pl\ mouth Hock 



186 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



we.stward, the map. of the nation stretches its vast outlines from 
the Atlantic sea-board — with its pine forests of Maine and flora 
of the sunny South — until, leaping the Kocky Mountains and 
Sierra Nevadas, it bathes our feverish and ambitious l)rows in 
the flashing waves of the Golden Gate. 

Planted by the hardy puritan stock, the race took root 
amid the flinty hills of New England, where the cold, sweeping 
storms of winter seemed to toughen every fibre of tlicse pio- 
neers, until their love of freedom, religion, and science, became 
as impregnable as the eternal hills with which their homes were 
buttressed. The North, West and Middle States Avere mainly 
peopled from this nucleus, while the South was supplied from 
the colony at Jamestown. The dark, enervating spirit of slav- 
ery was suft'ered to fasten itself like a gnawing cancer on this 
Southern settlement. From the small number of twenty Afri- 
cans, stolen from their homes across the seas, the system wid- 
ened, and its victims increased, until four million beings — made 
in the image of God — lifted their fruitless cries heavenward, 
amid the blood and pangs of their oppression; mocking our 
claims to freedom, and wrapping their chains around the tr<>es 
of libert3% until its fruit was Idasted, and its leaves withered by 
the mildew of death! Years of fostering care and nursing im- 
lu'cility infused such vitality into this hideous monster that it 
finally grasped the throat of the nation and threatened to stran- 
gle lil)erty in its very ci-tidle. God gave us a Lincoln and vic- 
tory! The auction blocks and slave pens of the South were 
rol)bed of their victims, and to-day not a slave in all this vast 
domain clanks his chains in the ears of an oflendcd God. 

Freedom is no longer a name and a m^th, but an accom- 
plished fact. The black mother hugging her helpless babe to 
her throbbing heart is free. No blood hounds acting as Satan's 
police force, are tracking the bleeding feet of the fl^'ing fugitive. 
God has spoken and his voice has been heard amid the darkest 
dens of tyranny. AVhat cause for gratitude and thankfulness! 
Shall not our song of thanksgiving mingle with the praise of 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 1S7 



these joyful, bouiulino; hoarts!' Shall we not stretch out oiii 
bands to those (Mnancipated millions^ Shall we not protect 
their lixcs, lil)erties, and homes from the ruthless fury of their 
late oppressors? While thankful for the song of liberty burst- 
ing from free hearts and praising tongues, may we not 
pray that every modern Pharaoh that would remand this tlusky 
host to slavery and death maj' speedily lind the Red Sea of 
God's judgment stretched across his path — the toml) of tyrants 
and the epitaph of cruelty! While civil and religious liberty 
finds a home in this glorious nation, the physical necessities of 
man are lavishly provided for by the i)enevolent Father of us 
all. The earth bountifully produces the fruits and cereals 
which are necessary for our sustenance, while our mountains 
contain minerals to feed the forges, furnaces and \vorkshoi)S 
of the world. W ho planted the iron, the silver and the gold in 
the flinty bowels of these mountain ranges? Who dug the bas- 
ins of our mighty lakes, and cut the river courses of trade 
through this vast and stupendous country? Who tempered the 
climate from the freezing snows of Maine to the sweltering heat 
of Flori(hi^ Who gave us the wheat, the corn, the beef, the 
potatoes, the apples of the North, and the oranges, the lemons, 
the bananas, the pineapples, and the cotton of the South? God 
is the bountiful giver of all. Shall the t'ny s])arrow receive its 
food from the hand of God, and sing its morning hymn of 
praise to its Creator, and our lips remain (hunb while feasting 
from our Father's table? If we are so ungrateful the very 
stones w^ould cry out in detestation and rel)uke; the trees of 
the field would clap their hands before our brazen faces, and 
the wild ))easts of the forest would howd the funei'al dirge of 
our souls as they marched downward to the dark regions of 
eternal woe! Ma}' we gather uj) the sunshine of (iod's gra- 
cious smiles! May we weave his nuucies as golden threads 
into the woof of life, and catching insj)iratioii at the divine 
altar, may our anthem of thanksgiving break over every heart 
like a wave of glory until the swelling choiiis joins the melod} 



188 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



of the new song sung by the host whose feet are standing on 
the sea of ghiss, mingled with fire! Bat life is not one con- 
tinued song, and work is sometimes the highest praise of God. 
Why is such wealth poured into the lap of this nation? Has it 
been given to hoard, to curse posterity l)y producing litigation, 
malice and fraud; while thousands beside our doors are freez- 
ing and starving? Surely no. The i)leading tongue of poverty 
ought to unlock the cofiers of the rich, and as the rusty bolts 
fly open the pinched and starving heart of opulence will open 
to receive the sunny beams of an approving conscience, and the 
sweet smiles of an admiring God. Let no one to-day sit down 
to an epicurean feast without thanking God by appeasing the 
gaunt hunger of some suffering one. Go out into the lanes and 
by-ways, and scatter your thank-offerings upon the altars dear- 
est to 3'our God. I>ind up the broken-liearted, and strip the 
weeds of mourning from some dark home. Let God's mercies 
shine through your hearts and lives to-day. He has shown his 
love l)y deeds; reveal his image by reflecting his character. 
VMth thankful hearts let us adore Our Father and do ofood, 




BROUCtHJ' suddenly to confront a monstrous 
Destroy its venomous fangs to-day and to- 
morrow it is full toothed, clamor uig for fresh vic- 
tims. C^hangeful as the chameleon, blood thirsty as the hyena, 
powerful as the lion, subtle as the serpent, and as malevolent 
as Satan himself, it combines the elements of cunning with the 
sinews of power in a manner at once startling and alarming. 
Uorn amid the most vicious and depraved passions of the human 
heart, nestled beneath the broad wing of avaricious greed, pol- 
ished by the pliant embellishments of partisan patronage and a 
false livery, upheld and fostered by the supineness of legislators 
and turpitude of unfeeling demagogues; it mocks the justice of 
law, laughs at the mercy of conservatism and spits in the face 
of God himself. No age, sex or condition is exempt from the 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 189 



ravajjes of this terrible monster. The blood of its victims 
mingles with every soil, and crimsons nearly every hearthstone. 
It girdles the world with a belt of woe and gaily swims in the 
ocean of blood and tears which it has wrung from crushed 
hearts. Like the hungry vulture seated upon some lonely 
crag and looking down with anxious delight upon the dead 
and dying of the battle field that stretches far away beneath his 
lofty mountain home; so King Alcohol attired in the gilded 
robes of rottenness and regal blasphemy, sits down upon his 
throne of skulls, and with a ghastly smile that shows his teeth 
of iron, waves his imperial scei)t('r, and pointing to the Idoody 
feast in prospect, he calls up from tilth}' dens and michiight 
revels the minions of his power who spe:d< with a trumpet 
blast that shakes the very kingdom itself, and striking the very 
walls of heaven, recoils with thundering echoes, and with a pen- 
cil dipi)ed in blood writes u})()n the heart and liallot of ev«'rv 
del>auchee and votary of rum. ^'License to kill!" Thus we are 
brought face to face with this giant evil, l)ut uiiere shall we find 
the remedy^ The progressive ideas developed in tht' education of 
the race have ati'orded no relief; the moral forces at work seem 
paralyzed with a general apathy and indifference, whih? laws 
enacted for the suppression of this vice have proved inopera- 
tive and d(>fective. 

Intemperance is a crime against society and every constit- 
uent element composing healthful societ}^ must be equipped and 
armed against the intrudcn*. Education nuist embrace modera- 
tion and the conservative use of natural powers; religion must 
l)e invoked to rouse the dead conscience, while the law must be 
quickened by public sentiment and compelled to keep step with 
the advancing ideas of an advanced nation. Without this uni- 
fication of forces all our attem[)ts toward temperance will prove 
unavailing. Whatever will best unite the elements of good 
society will best secure the end })roposed. Education is pri- 
marily selfish, yet an education that "secketh its own" exclu- 
sively is unworthy the name, and is fraught with ignominy and 



190 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



disgnice. The treasures of cultivated intellect should be the 
conmion heritage of humanity; mind should live and kindle and 
l)la/e through successive ages. The author whose worth is 
l)()iuulcd l)y narrow prejudices, or the lines of nationality has 
failed to imbibe the numortal principles of a universal brother- 
hood and thus he fails to touch the heart strings of the world of 
humanity. 

Let our educators abandon the development of a single 
idea, and launch forth upon the broad sea of a phihmthropy 
world-wide and universal, embracing in its arms of sympathy 
the good of all the ages yet to come in the unknown future. 
Then they will scse that scientific research alone does not control 
the passions of men, and that an education which does not en 
noble the entire man and lift up universal society to a higher 
plane of being is not the education which God and posterity 
demand. From this standpoint we behold the obligations of 
the hour. In the nursery, the school room, the college and the 
university, we must teach the generation to look with loathing 
and disfavor upon intemperance with all its kindred vices, its 
supporters and its apologists. In order to do this effectually 
our educators must be living exponents of intemperance. It 
will not do for them to run before the lesson of daily example. 
It is dilHcult to get others to do that which Ave refuse to do. 
An education that is all theory will not stir the blood nor nerve 
the arm, and the man that would talk and teach temperance, and 
yet would tamper with the vile compounds found under the 
fancy brands of so called choice liquors, ought to keep his 
mouth shut until his poor dyspeptic stomach can get along 
without an artificial fire to keep the machinery of life in mo- 
tion. Such a man is no more fit for a teacher in science than a 
drunkard is in morals. A clear brain can no more be kept sat- 
urated with whisky than a live toad can be preserved in alco- 
hol. Wiiy talk of benevolent ideas, universal sjanpathy and 
intellectual development when the daily living example goes 
down to posterity attended by the hissing fires of a perverted 



i 



GOLDEN CLEANINGS. 11)1 



manhood. You might as well try to dam the Mississippi with 
hiilnishcs, or scale Mont Uianc seated on a pa[)er kite, as hope 
for the triiinii)h of temperance until our youth are taught in 
the halls of learning to detest the intoxicating cup. 



OPKNING SERMON OF THE IOWA ELDERSHIP. 
And uKiioi.i), 1 send the tuomise of my Eatiiek i ton you; 

liUT TAKKY YE IN THE CITY OF JERUSALEM UNTIL YE HE EN- 
DIIKED WITH row Eli FROM ON UICH. — LuKE \.\IV, 41). 

(jrrr'HE CHURCH OF GOD recognizes no law l)ut the iiihle, 
^ F//^ no limit but hunianity, and no king l)ut (Jod. Christ 
^ in his deified nature is her founder and '^Him only 
shall thou serve."'' 

1. Recause the Father said we should hear llini (Matt, 
.wii. r>.) 

2. Recause (iod gave him power over all lU'sh. (,Iolm 
.wii. 2.) 

0. Recause all power is given him in heaven and earth. 
(^Matt. xxviii. 18.j 

4. Recause He is Lord and Master. (John .\iii. 13.) 

5. Recause He is the head of tin; church. (Eph. i. 22.) 
(). Recause His word shall judge us at the last day. (,Iolm 

xii. 4S.) 

L The Disciples. 

Discarding all subterfuges, evasions and circumlocutions, 
we come directly to the fact gracioulsy implied in our text that 
the men to whom this promise was made were Kcvved men. 

They were not men on trial oi- probation so far as salva- 
tion from sin. fellowship with Christ and accei)tance with (Jod 
were concerned. 

To prove this broa<l and sweeping proposition l)oyond th(> 
shadow of a doubt, we assert: 

1. That flic y inei'e )<aveil men hi'cat(!<( Chrl.^f Ixuf called 
them to a certain and specific work. 



192 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



They had been called by the voice of Jesus from various 
avocations, and they had left all and followed him. In turn, 
he had given them something to do. He had told them liov:< 
to go, loliat to preach, and inJiere to remain while engaged in 
this work. 

The very devils were subject unto them, and on one occa- 
sion when they failed they thought it strange, proving most 
conclusively that this exception to the rule but substantiated 
and proved the rule. 

Would Christ send unsaved men to preach the gospel and 
cast out devils^ 

Did he not say that he cast out devils by the finger of 
God? And if you have these disciples casting them out with- 
out this divine power, you have them doing what Christ him- 
self could not do! 

If Christ sent unsaved men on these important missions, 
what becomes of our tenacious absurdity that none but saved 
men can be scripturally licensed to })reach the gospel? 

2. Uie eomnihu'xm gtven these dlscljples was full and 
com.j>lete. 

He taught them to teach all things whatsoever he had 
taught them. This included baptism which represented the 
burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, events still in the dim 
future. 

Who were they to baptize? Sinners? Verily, no. If they 
were to baptize saved persons and they themselves unsaved, 
you have Christ putting the disciples into the predicament of 
teaching what they did not know; a state of things known only 
to modern churches when they substitute human wisdom for 
Uie power of the Holy Ghost. 

3. Christ said they trere not of the worlds even as he VKis 
not of the world. , . 

The word \oorld used in the sense here employed, always 
and invariably refers to the actuating and molding principle of 
sin as opposed to that which is holy, pure and good. With 



GOLDEN GLEAXIXGS. 193 



this clear dotiiiitioii of the word in view, how cmm it hi- iccoii- 
cilod with the monstrous asisuniption that the (li^ciplos were still 
unsaved and im})ure nien^ l»ut not satisfied with this. Chiist 
made the case still stronger when he said that these disciples 
were no more of sin, of Satan, of the world, than he himself 
was. This was Christ's view of tlu^ disciples and not some fa- 
natical, dreamy rhapsody of a dehuhnl enthusiast. 

It is the last court of appeal and if we are honest we will 
accept the decision as final. 

4, They irere saved men because Chrixt gare them the com- 
muniofi, and said that none of them werelost e.vcept the son of 
perdition. 

If a man is not lost he is saved. If he is not saved he is 
lost. 

These two propositions are just as true and iniprcirnahle 
as God and fact can make them. 

There can l)c no middle groiuid here. lie who was the 
embodiment of truth has settled the (juestion, from which there 
can l)e no legitimate a})peal. 

According to the clear and em[)hatic teaching of (iod's 
word the unsaved cannot discern the Lord's body in the Com- 
munion, and when they partake they do so unworthily; and 
yet Jesus gives these discii)les the bread and the fruit of the 
vine, showing conclusively l)y the highest testimony which 
heaven itself could furnish that the discii)les were then worthy 
to participate in this holy ordinance. I anticipate the objec- 
tion awakened in some minds by the passage found in Luke 
xvii. ;^>1, and which reads as follows: ^-And the Lord said. Si- 
mon, Simon, behold. Satan hath desired to have you that he 
ma}^ sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee that thy faith 
fail not; and when thou art converted strengthen thy brethen." 

On the hypothesis that this passage denotes an unsaved 
condition, I remark that it would I)e most amltiguous and in 
deadly antagonism with the Scriptures (juotc(|. How could 

>3 



194 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Christ pray that Peter's faith mi^ht not fail if Peter had no 
faith to fail? 

The phraseology here used most convincingly proves that 
Christ meant to say that Peter was in possession of something 
which he was in danger of losing through the approaching 
temptation of Satan. 

Sometimes the word convert covers the whole work of re- 
generation and the new life in Christ, and sometimes it does 
not. By reference to Webster you will find that the general 
scope of the word signifies simply ''a turning." 

As a parallel passage to the one under consideration, I re- 
fer you to James iv. 20, where we read, ''Let him knoAv that 
he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall 
save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins." 

The agent spoken of here saves the soul instrumentally 
and not dii'ectly, inasmuch as no one l)ut God can forgive sins. 
All that is meant is that the human agent instrumentally leads 
the sinner to ''turn away" from sin and "turn unto" the living 
God, where sins are pardoned and forgiven. Yet Avithal. "con- 
version" is attributed to the human agent which clearly shows 
that the term sometimes, even in the Scriptures, implies sim- 
ply a "turning." 

With this definition of the work in mind, how plain and 
comprehensive the words of Christ become. 

When thou art "turned again," strengthen thy brethren. 

Oh, Peter! when thou dost see thy defection, thy denial of 
the Son of God, thy criminality and sin, and dost "turn back 
again" to me with contrition and weeping, then after this, 
thy "conversion," this thy "turning again," thou shalt 
strengthen thy brethren. 

Here is a prophecy as well as a promise. It is predicted 
that after Peter is "turned again," is "converted" in this sense, 
he will be crowned with honor in becoming the mouthpiece of 
God at Pentecost to strengthen and confirm his brethren. This 
prophecy was literally fulfilled and the definition of the passage 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 195 



which I have grivcn becomes buttressed and surrounded bv tlic 
the historic facts of development, ilhiminated by the Hcry, 
cloven tongues of Pentecost. 

II. While the disciples were saved men, yet they 

WERE NOT FULLY EQUIPPED FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY. 

1. Because they were commanded to tarry. This word 
does not mean to indolently and i)assively wait for (lod to till 
them with the Holy Ghost. The word implies earnest, heart- 
searching prayer and seeking. The very fact that ten days 
were spent in supplication before (Jod shows this. This is al- 
ways Goers order, ''Seek and ye shall tind." 

Christ's promise that they shall have power from on high, 
does not nullify God's order, nor remove the necessit}- of dili- 
gent human search. We might as well assert that (Jod will 
save the sinner without his seeking God, as to assert that "the 
power from on high"' is guaranteed to every l)eliever without his 
individual anrl personal search after it. 

Suppose, however, that these disciples had been skeptical 
in reference to the "power" referred to; that they firndy be- 
lieved that being saved and in fellowship withflesus Christ, they 
had nothing more to learn; that they were then fully prepared 
and pano[)lie(l by divine authority for the work wdiich Christ 
wanted them to (h), would they not in that case have utterly re- 
fused to seek after or tarry for any further manifestation of 
power in their experience? Most assuredly they would. They 
would have sought to bolster up their infidelity and unbelief by 
glib references to scriptural characters to show that defective 
men managed to get along without this power, and that when 
Jesus Christ promised this great blessing it revealed a dreamy, 
modern fanaticism out of harmony with their experience, phi- 
losophy and common sense. 

IJut these men were not Liliputians who supposed their ex 
perience covered the whole area of possible christian insighted- 
ness. 



196 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



No! They were oroverned by their faith in Jesus Christ's 
word, and not by the meagre dimensions of their past acquire- 
ments. The man who makes himself his teacher will never rise 
higher than himself; l)ut in this self-convicted form of self-wor- 
ship he will cultivate unbelief in everything which is not in 
harmony with the circumscribed limits of his own impaired 
vision. 

2. hi Jenisaleni. 

Jerusalem being the city of David, and the city of the 
great king, was pre-eminently fitted to become the birth place 
of the evolutionary idea embodied in the "'power from on 
high." Besides, it was here that Christ was apprehended, was 
tried, and was crucified. Here, too, he rose from the dead and 
ascended on high. 

The dramatic and tragical climax of Christ's personal 
ministry would seem to require that this consecrated spot be- 
come the theater of the further development of his kingdom. 

Here his enemies had won their most signal triumph; here 
the conqueror of disease and death lies dead; here the champi- 
ons of unbelief had spit their venom upon his closed grave; 
here his mission seemed to end in ignominy and disgrace, and 
it was here where Christianity seemed weakest in the eyes of 
men that Christ proposed to girdle the open tomb with divine 
power and invest the darkest cloud of church history with the 
crashing: thunderbolts of eternal truth. 

3. [hit II endued. 

Here the disciples were to tarry until the power came. 

AVhether this would require one day or one hundred was 
no concern of theirs. They would not ol)ey the Lord if they 
would cease their seeking and waiting at any time before ''there 
came a sound from heaven as of a rushing, mighty wind." 

Here is food' for reflection. These disciples l)ased their 
action, not on prejudice or preconceived opinion l)ut on the plain, 
simple and unvarnished statement of him who cannot lie. Do 
we wait and seek until we are endued with this power^ Or do 



GOLDEN GLEAiXLYGS. 197 



we liiofgle aln)Ul tlii.s power heing designed for the Apostles 
only^ Or th:it we know good people who have never had it? 

Or that we have never had it, and therefore it is a vision- 
ary mist arising from a heated imagination? All the objeetions 
we may urge might have heen urged with e<|ual phiusihility by 
the Aj)ostles of our Lord. I will go further and say that if 
the Ajiostles. through prejudice or l>lind liigotrv, had refused 
to seek after this ''jiower from on high/' woidd have in- 
curred guilt and sin by their dis()l)edience. I can see no reason 
wh}^ our refusal to heed Christ's admonition will not be at- 
tended with like condemnation. 

4. Wlfl) pover. 

'I'lie word ^;oy/v';' used in this connection implies a great 
deal more than we usually attach to it. It is the proverbial 
S3'nonym of local, i)roviiicial ideas. lu some jjlaces it means 
noise, in some logic, in sonic rhetoric, while in others it is 
wholly (ontincd to emotion. 

The ''power" here referred to (Mubodics niuch more than 
all these detinitions combined. It gave the disciples power to 
preach. It clothed the word with authority, quickened it with 
the Holy (jhost and sent it crashing through the bitterest oppo- 
sition, until thousands of trembling hearts, broken and contrite, 
cried out in their anguish. ''Men and children, what shall we do?"' 

It eliminated and forever buried the petty jealousies ex- 
pressed in the prior contentions of the Apostles as to which of 
them should be greatest. This kind of bal>y talk never found 
a nest in Pentecostal tires! 

There was no political tricksteringandltutton hole intrigue 
after this notable day of the Lord. 

There were no cunning legerdemain and underground rail- 
road tactics used to tiestroy each other lest some one else should 
outstrip the ambitious devotee of place and power. There was 
no ti.xing of the primaries b}' ecclesiastical wartl bummers, who 
were especially solicitous that all things shoidd l)e done "de- 
cently and in order," and of course to the glory of God. 



198 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



If this "power from on high'' had this salutary and won- 
derfid effect on the minds, hearts and lives of the Apostles, 
might it not be well to have the great Physician prescrilte at 
least a half dose for this modern })atient that seems so sick from 
the indiscriminate use of stimulants and opiates^ 

5. ¥'r<)in> on hlgli. 

Everything which comes directl}' "from on high'' to the 
individual believer l>ecomes a part of heartfelt Christian experi- 
ence. It is not theory, opinions or verbiage; but a heavenly 
fact interwoven into the complex life of the heart by the shut- 
tle of the Holy Spirit. Our tongues usually so pliable and 
ready to demonstrate our petty opinions should be dumb before 
this holy of holies! 

No doubt this promise of "power" seemed vague and un- 
intelligible to the disciples; but when it came God became his 
own interpreter, and the mystic lal)yrinths of unseen spiritual 
force were readily seen and apprehended without the magnify- 
ins: lens of human wisdom or stalwart fanaticism. 

They knew what God had done for their souls. They were 
not the slaves of eti'eminate credulity, nor the willing dupes of a 
poi)ular superstition. The}^ are joined in spiritual wedlock 
with the heavenly bridegroom, an(,l "what God hath joined to- 
gether, let no man put asunder." 

Woe to the sacrilegious human hand that enters a plea for 
divorce in this Supreme Court. 

I am possibly met here with the objection that this "pow- 
er" carried with it the ability to work miracles, and therefore 
we cannot have this power unless we also work miracles as the 
disciples did. 

- To this I reply, that the gift of miracles was conferred and 
used b}' the Apostles before this "power from on high" came to 
them so that it could not be a distinctive element of that 
"power." If the disciples had this gift I)efore Pentecost, and 
the gift of miracles is a necessary adjunct of our holy religion, 
then it follows that persons in the primary department of re- 



i 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 199 



ligious development must exercise the gift just as well as those 
claiming to he endued with power from on high. 

This might imply more than even the most plastic critic 
would admire. The fact is, the occasion for miracles has passed 
away, inasmuch as their continued recurrence would have nnl- 
litied the very end which (iod had in view, viz.: The establish- 
ment of Christianity l)v the supernatural. Long continued 
sujiernatural events would become natural. Have the other 
necessities for this power passed away^ Hardly. 

All the qualifications requisite for the capable preaching 
of the gospel are necessary in all ages, and if we are going to 
dispense with any of them, common sense ought to dictate that 
it ought not to be this one. 

Again, it would seem that human nature is the same in all 
ages and if this power frou) on high became the panacea for the 
deadly disease of jealousy and self-seeking among the Apostles, 
it might be well to let it remain provided such things are ever 
found in modern times. Of course if you have entered the 
Millennial garden Avhere these thorns do not grow, we do not 
need this heavenly-whetted scythe with which to cut these 
cumberers down. 

HI. The poaver conferred. 

1. A hlessing. 

It was certainly a very great and distinguished blessing, 
and inasmuch as we have clearly shown that these same disci- 
ples had receive<l the blessing of salvation before, it requires no 
vivid stretch of the imagination to see that this was a divine 
equipment, the weak and illogical cavillers of the nineteenth 
century to the contrary notwithstanding. Am I met here Avith 
the objection that there are many blessings conferretl u})t)n 
Christian believers? 

True It will hardly be seriously contended, however, 
that this gift of power was an ordinary blessing, such as we 
receive every day. Such a position would only reveal our ig- 



200 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



norance or our higotry. This gift of power was a specific 
blessing, conferred for a definite purpose. 

1 do not say it was sanctitication, or anything else for 
which we are obliged to go begging outside of the Holy Scrip- 
tures. 1 do say, however, that this gift of power received by 
the Apostles was a blessing, a distinctive, specitic blessing, un- 
like any other blessing which they ever received, designed by 
the Father of lights to qualify them for Cvhristian work, and 
without which they would never have l)een thoroughl}' and di- 
vinely equipped for the work of the ministry. I defy the Chris- 
tian world to meet this position if it dare. It is an easy matter 
to sa}' we do not believe. 

Unl)elief, however, in Christian experience is always based 
on ignorance. It is the old intidel ol)jection, "•! will not be- 
lieve what I cannot see." 

But if 1 close my eyes to the only method of discovery 
possible, will I ever see? If I declare a road does not exist, 
simply l)ecause 1 have never traveled it. I show nn'self a super- 
ficial reasoner, and a most haughty worshiper of self. Such a 
spirit pompously announces that it has all possil)le knowledge, 
all possible spiritual power, light, love and peace. 

When we come to measure the resources of the Almighty 
with this measuring reed of our pride we present a most humil- 
iating spectacle to angels and men. 

Columbus looked across the Atlantic and a new world was 
born! He traversed the great deep and bore l)ack to the court 
of Spain the trophies of his genius. 

Weak men might have sneered at his project of discovery 
before he set sail, but when he returned to his native land the 
hardiest skeptic was transformed into a firm believer. 

In like manner, men might have sneered at the gift of 
power l)efore it was conferred at Pentecost; but since the Apos- 
tles have returned from this voyage of discovery, laden with 
the rich and golden fruits of their wonderful experience, it re- 
quires a prodigy of stupidity, a man deaf, blind and dumb, to 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 201 



doubt. 1 may say Jupiter has no moons, and Saturn no rings; 
l>ut 1 l)aso my assertion on the verdict of my own weak and 
unassisted vision. Because I cannot see these things I con- 
elude thev do not exist, and then I i;o around exiiosinijf mv isf- 
noiance l>v (Un'hiring that these old astronomical wonders are 
legendary myths evolved from the dark caverns of heathen 
mythology. 

One peep through a good telescope would knock my un 
belief into a thousand fragments. In like manner, an hone;>t 
appeal to (lod for this gift of power until we are endued is the 
only lelescope which can rexeal the glories of the moral heav- 
ens; and if we have not used this magic glass, conunon modesty 
ought to dictate that, like the man without the wedding gar- 
ment, we should I )e speechless! 

2. 7///.V hiesshig vx(fi nuddoi. 

The gift of power was not spread out thinly over a whole 
life, but like a thunderl)olt it fell suddenly from heaven upon 
the disciples. 

This was not a slow, snail like, gradual growth; but a sud- 
den opening of the secret place of power. 

It lifted the disciples Immediatchj into a new atmosphere, 
a new experience. 

2. This power emboldens the disc/'p/es. 

After Pentecost the disciples preached the truth pointedly 
without reference to personal j^opularity or safety. 

They can now die for the truth; l>ut they cannot sacritice it. 

They do not go about feeling the public pulse like i)olitical 
jumping-jacks, ready for any moral gymnastics which public 
sentiment may dictate. They are end)assa(lors for Christ, and 
standing in the lustrous light of their King, with the regal i'n- 
signia of his crown upon their brows and their lips they speak 
as the oracles of (Jodl 

With them such questions as slavery and prohibition could 
never be settled by majorities. Getting near to God will al- 



202 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



ways enable the soul to look upon great moral questions with 
the vision of Deity and the heart of all truth! 

4. Ihis power confounded the enemies of Ood. 

Nobody knew what it meant. Jewish scholasticism, in- 
tolerance and superstition were paralyzed and confounded be- 
fore this imperial cyclone that burst suddenly from the heav- 
enly world. P'aces turned pale, hearts quailed with fear, con- 
viction seized upon the people, and cries for mercy were wrung 
from all souls. 

Men never have an answer when God speaks. The lips of 
Jehovah are too much for tabernacles of clay. The fiery 
tongues revealing divine power will always consume the ha\', 
wood and stubl)le of impious opposition, and raze the proudest 
temples of idolatry to their very foundations. The answer to 
all scientific skepticism and arrogant infidel assumption is yet 
to be found where the disciples found it — in the power of the 
Holy ( I host. 

IV. Human Substitutes for this Power from on High. 

1. Learning. 

Learning makes a good crutch for Christianity, but a blood, 
less heart! An idol carved in the human mind is no better than 
one carved in stone. It is better to go to heaven by way of a 
fisherman's smack than to go hell by way of the university. 
Learning, like wealth, is designed to become helpful in the race 
of life, but like its twin brother its elevation to a god insures 
certain wreck and ruin. Saul of Tarsus was a cultured scholar 
and a bloody persecutor, an eminent religionist, full of inflated 
scholastic zeal, but he sadly needed another degree. 

He obtained it on the plains of Damascus without much 
previous preparation and his limited and rather undignified an- 
swer in his final examination, "Lord, what wilt thou have me 
to do?" clearly revealed the demolition of all mental idolatry. 
His triumphant graduation here was worth more to him than 
all his former acquirements. A peerless orator, he loathed the 
embellishments of oratory; a learned doctor of the law, be 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 203 



never paraded his learniniror his degrees like a silly school l)oy; 
a poetic sonl, full of the tiro of genius, he never allowed his 
imasfination to mar the face or hide the blood of his Redeemer. 
Again and again he warned the world of the danger of putting 
on the gown of the doctor for the seandess robe, and the maxims 
of science for the blood of the Son of (Jod. Valuable and in- 
dispensiblc as learning is, when it becomes, as it frequently 
does, a sul)stitnte for the i)ower from on high, it is as l)ad as 
the idols found in the kraal of the Hottentot, or the household 
srods of the cannil)i'l. Cultures without faithful adhesion to 
God's curriculum will not destroy idolatry; it only changes the 
name of the idols worshiped. 

It may make the idol more shapely and pn^possessing; but 
the hideous fact is there. 

Learning that does not reveal more of human weakness, 
and more of the love and power of God, is nt)t sanctified cul- 
ture, but a thin varnish of pride as detestable as it is prevalent. 

The man who is proud of his purse, of his person, or his 
clothing is deservedly condennied; but by some subtle pliiloso- 
phy, unknown to the moral ethics of truth, the man who boasts 
of his mental acquirements and ostentatiously parades his eru- 
dition becomes a hero. One nnui like Mr. iVlood} , endued with 
the power from on high, though possessing but limited mental 
qualitications. is worth more to the world than a thousand 
learned doctors whose credentials are confined to diplomas and 
degrees. 

Do 3'ou say 1 disparage learning^ 1 deny it. 1 want it to 
remain just where God puts it, and not assume to be what it is 
not. When learning makes a man less like Christ, i)roud. boast- 
ful, unfraternal with all classes of society, it becomes a pirate, 
scuttling every ship laden with the golden treasures of our 
conunon humanit}', and richly merits the Damascus blade of 
our keenest sarcasm. Like in everything else, we have here 
the false and the true. Little pedantic souls, who take the 
flavor of the schools as they take their cologne, 'by absorption. 



204 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



are hardly to he compared with the intellectual giants of his- 
tory, who in detiance of scholastic straight jackets, and social 
environments, rose to kingl}' power in church and State. 
Melancthon. a learned man, went out from the university qual- 
ified, as he supposed, for the work of the ministry; but he 
wisely discovered that "Old Adam was too strong for .young 
Melancthon." 

The lion-hearted Luther, no indift'erent scholar, said: 
"When I preach I sink myself down. I regard neither doctors 
nor magistrates of whom are here in this church more than 
forty; but 1 have an eye to the multitudes of young people, 
children and servants, of whom are more than two thousand. 
I preach to these.'' As we read these words we can hear the 
victoious shouts of the Reformation! A\'ith such seed-thoughts 
we can expect a harvest of glory. It is said of St. Bernard 
that one day he preached scholastically and the learned ap- 
plauded him. The next day he preached plainly and the peo- 
ple blessed him. "Yesterday,''' he said, "1 preached Bernard; 
to-day I preach Christ." 

Joseph Parker, of London, a man of marvelous propor- 
tions, says; '"My fear is — and it makes me cold with a 
deadly chill sometimes — ^that young men should imagine 
that by going through certain processes of so-called, or rightly 
called, 'education,' they become qualified in some magical sense 
to ex|)lain the heart, the love, the grace of Christ; then the}^ 
will l)e pedants, tricksters, priests, self-appointed gatekeepers, 
and against the whole progeny of them, if making such official 
claims, I laimch a protest of fire." 

Learning has its legitimate, rightful place; but it is no more 
tire power from on high than the telegraphic wire is the elec- 
tricity which carries thought or death in its lightning velocity. 

2. Wealth. • 

When riches supplant the Almighty in the holy place, 
Peter's scorching, withering retort to Simon Magus, "Th}'^ 
money perish with thee, " becomes pertinent and appropriate. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 205 



That the money power of the church frequently l>eeonies 
a substitute for the power from on high requires no hihored 
effort to prove. We could point to numerous churches to-day, 
that in their earlier history were spiritually minded, full of the 
Holy Ghost and power; l)ut which now point with carnal pride 
to their tine houses, stately organs, operatic choirs, well 
endowed colleges as the only monuments remaining of their 
former glory. Brick walls have taken the place of stalwart 
Christian character; mone}' has usurped the throne of the Holy 
Ghost. 

Church prosperity is not measured l\y the living vitality 
which converts souls; but l\y the silver nails which formality 
has driven into its coffini 

^^'ealth creates caste, and caste is the enemy of Christ. 

When our tine churches shut out the poor they liecome 
vvhited sepulchres, satanic prisons, tools of the devil, which 
nothing but the angel of the resurrection can awaken frf)m their 
sinful stupidity. 

Is the Church of (iod wholly exempt fiom this sin? 

What does it mean when wealth becomes the passport to 
places of trust and responsibility, while the loss of it in bank- 
ruptcy becomes the sudden signal for shelving the unfortunate 
in oblivion? Is there less of Christ, less of morality, less of 
Christian character simply because a man's pocketl)0()k has 
been depleted by the exacting greed of avaricious creditors^' 

It is well to remember that the rich man flaunting his tine 
linen in the face of La/arus saw a time in his history when he 
was ver\' willing to have the beggar perform an office of mercy 
and love in his behalf. 

3. Ntmihei's. 

The power of the church is frequently measured l»y statis- 
tics. It has been said that figures will not lie; l»ut I assert that 
when used to show the power of the church they do lie most 
shamefully. If numerical strength is the only test of power 



206 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Pentecost was a weak afiair. Power is to bedeterminetl ))y the 
mathematics of the Holy Ghost. When men are devoid of 
the power from on high they fly to the carnal arithmetic of 
numbers. 

When we cannot he enumerated on God's side we endeav- 
or to supply the lack of God's presence l)y a fierce appeal to the 
hollow-hearted pretense of numerical show. 

God is always a majority in the arithmetic of the New 
Jerusalem. 

Get on God's side, on all (juestions efiecting heaven and 
earth, and the scarecrow of '^public sentiment" becomes as help- 
less and limp as the dead warriors of Pharaoh lying at the bot- 
tom of the Red Sea! 

4. Church ordmances. 

Church ordinances, though of divine appointment, may 
become a snare to the soul. Christ said, "-If ye love me, ye 
will keep my commandments." 

The literal observance, therefore, of church ordinances is 
but the visible expression of our love for the divine manifesta- 
tion of a soul-state; the witnessing recognition of a motive. If 
we compare our observance of ordinances with what we believe 
to be the disobedience of those who do not observe them to their 
disparagement, we do what the Bible coudcnms; and we are ex- 
ceedingly liable to do it because we love self, and not because 
we love f Jesus (Jhrist. 

In that case the motive is wrong, and therefore the out- 
ward act must become as flagrant a piece of Phariseeism as can 
offend Deity. 

- Outward ordinances can never be pleasing to God except 
a right motive lies l)ehind them. The external act may exhibit 
insutterable })ride;' the true motive, never. Thousands are 
hugging the delusive phantom of legal obedience, while their 
hearts are far from God. They begin in the Spirit, but finish 
in the flesh. Their hearts instead of being warmed by the 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 207 



crimson touch of the crucifixion, are l)iisy looking after the 
waywardness of their neighbors. 

Oh, how it saddens my heart to see the inroads already 
made into the Church of (Jod hy that -'form of godliness which 
denies the power." 

5. Human societies. 

Many substitute the oaths of human societies for the 
power from on high. rh(>y either doubt (iod's protection and 
care, or the}' seek the applause of what they are pleased to call 
"'respectable society." 

Either unbelief or pride becomes the actuating })rin(iple 
impelling them. Keligion and Christ must therefore become 
subordinated to merely human conceptions of duty and obliga- 
tion. The power from on high never leads men from the foun- 
dation of living waters to the dirty, muddy pools of hu 
man tradition, where the most incongruous elements — the 
profane and the pious — fraterni/.e harmoniously over a common 
bond of union. If men in the Church of (Jod have the right 
to antagonize and oppose ecclesiastical tradition — which we are 
ready to concede — they have no right to defend traditional 
superstitions in merely human societies, which at once disgrace 
their intelligence and nullify their logic. 

We must either al)an(lon our keen scent of churchly su- 
perstitions, or leave to the moh's and bats the silly gewgaws of 
a moss-back idolatry festooned with the hoar}' cobw<)bs of an 
unsearchable antiquity! If the Lord be (iod, follow him I 

fi. Apologieti for sin. 

Under the plea that men are weak there is a disposition in 
many quarters to substitute a human idetd standard«of holiness 
for that power which is from on high, thus bringing the divine 
model into subjection to the human conception of righteous- 
ness, which in reality discards the necessity of a revelation. If 
I supplant (irod's standard of holiness with my human ideal, I 
hav(^ the right to sweep away every vestige of the word of (Jod 
which opposes my finite conception of propriety, and this leaves 



208 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



me the maker of my own Bible, a very satisfactory solution of 
this problem to every sinful heart. Is it not clear, however, 
that whatever pleases the unregenerate must be unsafe theology 
for the minister of Christ to preach'^ VYill I get to heaven by 
preaching views of holiness which send my auditors to hell:f 

Will I assert that no man can live wihout sin, and then 
point to my example to prove my assertion^ 

I object to putting one man for the race after this fashion. 
In like manner, 1 might say there are tive times as many sinners 
as there are Christians; therefore there cannot be any Christians. 

The numerical preponderance is on the side of sin; there- 
fore, Christianity is a myth. Satan has more followers than 
God; therefore, he is greater than God! What fallacious ab- 
surdity is here. Most men commit sin; therefore no man can 
live without sin! In order to substantiate this sinful method of 
reasoning, defective scriptural characters, like Noah. David, or 
Peter, are selected and held up before the mind, and we are 
told to look at these models; that we cannot hope to improve 
on these examples and may count ourselves fortunate if we do 
so well! 

This is positively abominable! 

It is neither common sense, philosophy, nor theology! 

It is [)rostrating God's standard in the dust, and to my 
mind is not far from sin against the Holy Ghost. I sincerely 
trust that the humiliating day is forever past when any minis- 
ter of the Church of God will I)e found who can so far forget 
his divine ordination as to announce a tloctrine so degrading 
and repulsive to everything which is noble and good. If I wish 
to be a successful farmer, do I select a man for a model whose 
faum is overgrown with weeds and l)ranibles; whose fences are 
broken down; whose buildings are so rickety that they appear 
to have had a recent and serious introduction to a cyclone^ 

If I wish to ))e an eminent physician, do I take my lessons 
from a miserable quack whose patients are all in the grave- 
yard^ 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 209 



If I want to be a tirst-class lawyer, do I study my briefs 
under the su|)ervision of a whisky drinking pettifogger who 
astonisiie.s curbstone audiences with tlie astounding discovery 
that there is no (uxH 

If I wish to be a Hist ch-iss Christian, (h)' I lake my exam- 
ples for enudation from men who liave l)eeii (h'iud<. or commit- 
ted a(hdtery, or were guilty of profanity^ 

No man of ordinary intelligence an<l very ordinaiy s[)irit- 
ual acumen can be gulled by such flimsy and sinful reasoning. 

The highest exaniples of all excellence, whether spiritual or 
intellectual, are to be taken to determine the possibilities of the 
race. I must take the best farmer, the best physician, the best 
lawyer, the best Christian as my models if I would excel in my 
calling. (lod therefore has given us Christ as the example to 
be C()})ie(l, and he was Avithout sin. The (juestion is not, reas- 
oning from a human standijoint, whether 30U and I can meas- 
ure up to this standard or not; but the question to be settled, 
looking from the (Jodward side, is, '•T)ocs Gotl design that 
every Christian should take Christ as his model to be fol- 
lovvedf" If he does, the (juestion is settled and the standard is 
established. If he does, my etiort to establish another and a 
false standard is exceedingly sinful, anil as much out of har- 
mony with the divine mind as it would be to attempt to circum- 
vent and thwart the purposes of Deity in the creation of the 
universe! 

Conclusion. 

1. If the immediate Apostles of Christ were not fully 
equipped for their work without this "power from on high," 
neither are we. 

Jesus Chri.st docs not impose superfluous truths. When 
he tells us to tarry for a certain specitic thing, he means that we 
need that thinij. It is amazins^ that men will be tierce defend- 
ers of immersion and feet washing, because Jesus taught them, 
and then conveniently discard the '"power from on high"' as a 



210 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Bible doctrine because they never sought it. Who are you that 
thus summarily disposes of the truth of Jesus dirist? 

A clod, helpless and earthy; a worm, wriggling from the 
light, read}' to hide itself in the friendly gloom of forgetful- 
ness and the ol)livion of ignorance. 

2. We make a mistake and are guilty of an unscriptural 
error, when we teach our young men entering the ministry 
that the only divine qualification necessary is obtained in their 
regeneration. Such teaching is absolutely false, and it is high 
time we call a halt in our revision of the New Testament after 
this fashion. If we have had nothing more than this defective, 
immature preparation for our work, in the name of high heaven 
let ns not attempt to crowd and cramp the buoyant, bounding 
aspirations of our young men into the unyic^lding harness, made 
to order, which has crippled our powers and made us so impe^ 
rious, short-sighted and egotistic that we cannot see the truth 
of Jesus Christ flashing in our faces. 

No! a thousandfold no. 

If I have not reached this heavenly goal, perhaps some 
young man clambering over my grave may reach it. 

Shall I put my ecclesiastical straight-jacket over the throb- 
l)ing pulses of his bounding soul and smother him to death? 

Let us lift the young to higher spiritual altitudes by the 
magnetism of our own experience, or im})el them before us l>y 
the dwarfishness of our attainments. 

3. If we would be scriptural in our experiences we would 
tarry before drod, looking for this ''power from on high,"" until 
it comes. 

The facts of religious experience are never settled by 
Imman preferences. Sinners are never saved until moved by 
an overwhelming conviction that they ought to be saved. 

Men entirely satisfied with a low state of grace will never 
seek the "power from on high,"" any more than the sinner 
entirely content with a sinful life will seek Christ. If the sin- 
ner reads God's word, and believes with the heart that it refers 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 211 



directly to him, he will become uneasy and dissatisfied, and in 
penitence and submission will submit to its claims. 

In like manner, if a man believes Christ meant him when 
he says we should tarry until endued with "power from on 
high,'' he will seek to realize the fullillment of this promise. 
If, on the other hand, his heart is full of oi)jections, he will go 
his wa}^ without attempting to prove (lod. 

Personal contact with desus Christ's truth; personal belief 
of that truth, and })ersonal willingness to obey it are all neces- 
sary to its realization, else so far as we are })ersonally concerned 
it might just as well never have been written. Let us not tight 
against (lod. (iod's design is always the perfection of beauty. 

Man's unaided conception of the beautiful could never rise 
to the glory of an autumnal sunset. The rainbow with its 
prismati(5 colors, will span tln^ throne, the very home of Deity. 
They need not the light of the sun in the kingdom of life, and 
therefore the sun will not irradiati' the sea of glass mingled 
with tire. The intinite Father always provides for the needs 
of each state of being. 

His designs always include the beautiful, the useful and 
the glorious. 

We might as well attempt to burnish a sunset with a cam- 
el's hair pencil as su[)plenient (rod's design of Christian experi- 
ence with the addenda of human ignorance. 

(rod, knowing our needs, lias made the vtn-y I)est and 
wisest provision to supply those needs. 

God's promise to do a certain thing for us is God's pledge 
that we need the thing promised. 

Shall we thirst and die beside the fountain of life? shall our 
souls starve for the living ])read while he who said, •'! am the 
bread of life," stands beside us in the conflict, whispering in our 
ears, "Seek first the kingdom of (xod and his righteousness?'' 

The Christian world is deaf, blind and dumb, because of 
its herculean etf'orts to adjust (lod's l)ool< to its low state of 



212 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



morals, when it ouiilit to be adjusting itself to (lod's require- 
ments. 

Like l)ats we are afraid of the sun, when like the eagle we 
ought to vvelcomo the light which gives us clearer vision earth- 
ward and heavenward. 

To know (xod is to know humanity. We study our fel- 
low-men l)GSt in the light of heaven. If you would touch 
human hearts you must first touch God's great heart. 

You must first ascend to heaven if you would lift the 
world upward. 

PauTs unspeakable words of Paradise clothed his speaka- 
ble words with the glory of heaven. Where is boasting then'i' 
It is excluded. The power from on high l)rings every concej)- 
tion of false pride and Ijoastful dignity to the dust. The more 
you see of God the less you see of self. Your confidence in the 
flesh will l)e lessened in the exact ratio of your increase of con- 
fidence in the Eternal one. 

Whatever reveals the infinite to our consciousness must 
necessarily at the same time reveal the helplessness of the finite. 
Boastful self-righteousness is therefore no mark of the power 
from on high; but it is rather unmistakeable evidence of that 
proud, Pharisaic self-sufficiency which is of the earth, earthy. 
We arc to esteem others as better than ourselves. 

Our defects will appear as our internal vision is quickened 
and sharpened by superior light from above. No matter wliat 
our spiritual attainments are, entire satisfaction therewith is 
the certain prelude of stagnation and death. 

''Woe unto you that are full," is the trumpet blast of 
warning bursting from the lips of our divine Captain. It is 
the cautionary signal burning in the storm of life, and reveal- 
ing the rocks of danger; and it is the beacon of promise, flick- 
ering: above the •flao^o'ing energies of the soul, inciting us 
onward and upward. 

Gather up the flashes of light which have fallen upon your 
trerablino- hearts from the radiance of the throne, and weaving 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 213 



them into a diadem of beauty and glory It}' the ministry of 
tears and joy. sunshine and night, peaee and eontliet, pra3^cr 
and hh)od, east the crown at the piereed feet of him who is 
Kill": of kini^s and Lord of h)rdsl 

''Unto him that U)ved us, and washed us from our sins in 
his own blood, and hath made us i<ings and priests unto (iod 
and his Fath(>r; to him be glory and (k)minion forever and 
ever. Amen. 



WILL ALL r,E SAVED WHO AHL OBEDIENT TO A 

CONSCIENCE, GUIDED WX THE BEST 

LIGHT IT CAN OBTAIN? 

\Miat is conscience? Keferrinjj to tlie Bil)U\ we Hud the 
conscience may be good or bad. Before Ananias, Paul declared, 
"'I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day." 
At anotherstageof thfisametrial for heresy he said, ''And herein 
do I exercise myself to have a conscience void of ollence toward 
God and toward men." Again in his epistle to the Romans we 
have this language, "I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, ray 
conscience also l)earing me witness in the Holy Ghost." To 
the Corinthians he says, "For our rejoicing is this, the testi- 
mony of our conscience.'" To Timothy he writes, "Now the 
end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of 
a orood conscience." Again he exhorts, "War a irood warfare, 
holding faith and a good conscience." 

Of the wicked the word declares, "Speaking lies in hypoc- 
risy; having their conscience sc^ared with a hot iron.'" Again we 
read. 'd>ut even their mind and conscience is defiled."" In his 
epistle to the Hel)rews, Paul spc^aking of the oifering of Chrisf 
declared it would purge the conscience from dead works to 
serve the living God. From these bil)lical definitions of con. 
science we glean the follo\ving summary of fads: A good 
conscience is obtained ''before God;"" is cai)al)le of daily "exer- 



21-1: GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



cise"; may exist in harmony with God, and with h)ve for all 
men; bears "witness in the Holy Ghost;'' testifies with our "•re- 
joicing'"'; reveals charity from ^'a pure heart''; and becomes the 
co-laborer of faith, in the '••good" warfare. An evil conscience 
speaks "lies in hypocrisy"; is "seared, as with a hot iron"; is 
"defiU^d" with the "mind," and rccjuires the inirging sacritice 
of Christ. We learn then: 

1. That conscience is an individual tril)unal, combining 
our mental and moral faculties, either condenming or approv- 
ing the acts of the possessor. 

2. That conscience may be educated by and in iiarmony 
with the Spirit of God, or ])y hypocritical alliances may liter- 
ally debar everything good. 

3. That ri'joicing in Christ can be real only when the 
soul rests under the approving smiles of conscience. 

4. That a ffood conscience can exist only in connection 
with a pure heart, made so in conformity with the highest 
known standard of purity. 

Coming to moral Philosophy, we tind tlie writers on ethics 
and casuistry diti'ering widely in reference to what we indefina- 
bly term conscience. Some claim it to be a separate faculty 
or sense of perception, while others claim conscience to be the 
composite aggregation of all the moral elements discoverable 
in the whole realm of spiritual perception. Some w^'iters aver 
that conscience is largely the result of educational })rocesses, 
while others with more reason, argue the existence of an in- 
nate principle, capal)le it is true of development, yet inhering 
in the very nature of man. Webster defines conscience to be 
"internal or self-knowledge, or judgment of right and wrong; 
or the faculty, })ow('r, or principle within us, which decides on 
the lawfulness or unlawfulness of our own actions and attec- 
tions, and instantly approves or condemns them." JNIcClintock 
and Strong's Cyclopedia says: "This faculty of forming moral 
judgments we call conscience; and if the views now expressed 
be correct there is little propriety in discussions respecting the 



GOLDEN GLEAN/KGS. 215 



origin but that of its possessor. AVc concede that noitluM* 
moral ideas nor ideas of an}' sort are innate; but (he capaeit v. 
nay, tl»e constitutional necessity for moral ideas is imiate." 
President Porter says: "It is ol)\ions that moral philosophy is 
somewhat peculiar as a science, in that it is directly a])})lied, not 
to actions as thoy are, but as they ought to be." It will be 
seen that these detinitions of conscience, with its cognate pow- 
ers, though differing somewhat in the nomenclature employed, 
embody snl>stantially the same general princi])le>. It will also 
be noted that the teachers of moral })hilosopliy have simply 
copied the scriptural definition of conscience. 'I'he wisdom of 
God and the observation of men agree in sustaining the follow- 
ing propositions: 

1. Conscience is an innate or natural print-iple in men — 
the gift of (lod — as uuich an inhei'cnt i)art of our moral con- 
stitution as the Hesh. bones, and blood Mre clenients of our 
physical organism. 

2. Conscience can l>e developed to clearer ])eiceptions of 
right and wrong only by the en\'ironment of higher sttnidards, 
just as the human Ixxly is developed by congenial contact with 
food, light, and air, this being (lod's way to promote growth. 

3. The man using all the means of development toward 
a clearer, conscientious perception within his reach is no more 
responsible for failure to see things as they really are than the 
man born blind is to be condemned for failing to behold the 
sun. 

4. Obedience t(» the l)estlawof which we can become cog- 
nizant is the highest wisdom possiljle to men, and therefore the 
certain prelude to the highest hapi)iness of which we are capa- 
ble. 

If conscience is an innate i)rinciple ini])laMted by the 
Divine hand, it is a self-evident truism that all men have a 
conscience. It is also a recognizal»l<' confirmation of the Divine 
law distinguishing men from the brute creation. It is the 



216 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



lower court which passes its decisions prior to the adjudication 
of the supreme. It is the judge in every man's breast, clothed 
with the judicial investiture of office by God himself and fully 
qualified to hear evidence, compare testimonj-, and pass verdict. 

The evidence must l)e heard by the ears which God has 
planted, the testimony must be weighed by the scales of Divine 
justice, and the verdict must be rendered according to heavenly 
jurisprudence. Otherwise conscience is perverted from its 
original design and becomes the pliant tool of every species of 
human knavery. As the gift of (iod the conscience becomes a 
sacred and important trust committed to our charge. To stifle 
its protestations is inconceivably more sinful than the mutila- 
tion of the l)ody in imitation of heathen idolators. The 
wounds of the body may heal, leaving but the scars of former 
maiming, but the wounds of the conscience thicken the insensi- 
ble cuticle of moral perception, until the alarm bell which God 
hangs at the door of every man's heart will not awaken the 
sleeping soul which reposes within. Here we see God's law of 
development. The germ must precede life. The cmbryptic 
acorn is the oak in miniature. Physical contour is but the out- 
line of spiritual life. The (Jod-given gift of conscience pre- 
supposes all such cognate auxiliaries as i)recepti()n, judgment, 
and observation. 

God, in giving us power to decide and authority to inves- 
tigate, must of necessity present to our consciences the laws of 
evidence. If he gives us capacity to decide and fails to furnish 
through co-operative avenues the questions which our moral 
faculties were designed to grapple, it is as mrtch a reflection on 
his wisdom as the creation of fishes without fins or birds with- 
out^ wings would be. How then docs the conscience perceive 
the higher standards of moral excellence through which it 
emerges to a higher plane? Certainly not by contemplating 
and imitating the merely intellectual standards of men. These 
may be, and often are, without the sanction of God. The high- 
est conceptions of moral perception exhibited in the philosophy 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 217 



of heathen teachers like Socrates or Phito, fall far beneath the 
conscientious animus of (Christianity; not because of our greater 
natural spiritual aptitude, but rather because of our superior 
means of knowledge. Christianity did not create conscience, 
but merely opened a pathway of light for its higher and 
grander ilights. It is clear, then, that the higher development 
of conscience can only take place when the laws governing our 
progression are bounded by that Divine hand wliich implanted 
the internal monitor within us. It is not only reasonable but 
rigidly logical that the moral faculties of our being cannot be 
controlled in consonance with our highest possible happiness, 
except by the creator of those faculties, or the laws he has de- 
signed for their governance. The conscience, then, cannot rise 
without knowledge. This knowledge must be in harmony with 
the conscience. This knowledge is unattainal)le without the 
presentation to the mmd of hitherto unknown perfections and 
the ready accpiiescence of our nun-al perceptions with the truth 
thus pi-escnted. Where either the lesson or the pupil is absent, 
there can be nothing learned. The two are al»solutely neces- 
sary to coml)ine the elenn^nts of growth. How far then do the 
mutual responsibilities of God and men extend? They meet in 
tranquil harmony when God i)rcsents the truth and man learns 
all he can. It is the province of God then to reveal His will; 
it is the duty of man to ol)ey. The very word revelation signi- 
ties the presentation of truth hitherto unknown. 

This is the only standard outside of self-knowledge which 
can be safely relied on as an agent for moral (h^velopment. The 
man who refuses God's method of moral training cannot con- 
sistently lay any claim whatever to Divine favcM'. The subject 
who refuses to acknowl(>(lge the supremacy of the will of his 
sovereign is on the high road of rebellion. The clash of arms 
is but the se<iuence of clandestine disloyalt}'. But our subject 
does not contemplate such a case. It refers to inijjlicit obedi- 
ence to the best light which it is possiljle to attain. Is it reve- 
lation, natural evidences, intuitive pronn)tings, spiritual exper- 



218 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



ionces, observation, or historical annals; then it is ohcdience, 
tirm, unyielding obedience to the ligiit furnished l)y tiiese com- 
bined agencies; but on the other hand, if it is but one or more 
of these avenues of light which jiour their treasures into the 
darkened soul, it is obedient to that and nothing more. No 
man is responsible for the ignorance which is unavoidable, and 
obedience to the ambiguous claims of ignorance is the fruitful 
hot-l)ed of the vilest superstitions. The idolatry springing 
from vague and fancied obedience to supposed commandments 
of God is as gross as that which Hourisjies among the athe- 
istical worshipers of the creature. No man has a right to fol 
low that which he does not know to be truth, and he has no 
rio-htto remain ignorant of that which he mav know. Igno- 
ranee in that case would become a crime. The conscience, 
like the Howers, must turn toward the light. Whether it looks 
up to God. from the South Sea islands; from the jungles of 
Africa; the arid plains of Asia; or the Indian wigwams of Am- 
(U'ica; it will in some manner invoke the benediction of the 
Great Supreme, and lull its cares to rest in the Everlasting 
Arms! It sees the gorgeous heraldry of its ancestral glory, 
painted by a Father's hand, across the golden heavens, laid in 
flashing amber! It hears the whispering breezes which like 
the I)rejith of Spring floating over a garden of flowers, come 
laden to the hungry heart with the scent of spices and the inspi- 
ration of heavenly chorals! It weaves the feathery palm into 
fantastic shapes grotesquely representing angel forms whose 
dim and shadowy wings have in some way fluttered into these 
lonoino; hearts and left their image there! The rollino; thunder 
becomes the voice of God calling worshipers to their knees; the 
foaming billows of the sea moaning restlessly against the rock- 
ribbed l)each, speak of the unseen land l)cyond; the tortuous 
rivers winding and, threading their sluggish course through 
malarious mazes, sleepily write their sacred rites of magic in 
shifting sands! Looking for the opening gates of dawn these 
dusky heathen stand in the morning twilight listening for a 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 210 



Fiithor'.s voice to rini^inlo llioir \vaitin<r oars the tlirilliii<>;ii)|)(':il. 
'•My son, oivo inc tliinc lioartl"" Shall tlioso ln-atlicn !)(> cou- 
(Iciiiiu'd at last foi' doiiiij:; what they do not know to he wrong? 
If so. what will hocon'.c of those hardened and impenitent 
wretehcs who knowinirlv violate God's law ev(My day and irlory 
in their shanu'^ Will obedience to our hest attainable liijht 
result in salvation^ We answer yes, with a (jualitieation. Sal- 
vation in the eternal world admits of degrees of ha))piness as 
well as in this world. The larger our knowledije of (Jod the 
greater our happiness here, providing we utilize that knowl- 
edge. Heaven and hell admit of progression — -that is, advance- 
ment in happiness or misery — or iheir construction furnishes 
an abrupt and unnatural check to the faculties of oui' moral 
constitution. We can sec no good reason why spiritual life 
from its very inception shouUl not consist in an unl)r()ken and in- 
tcrminal)le series of progressive steps through the eternal cycles, 
co-existent with Godhimself. Itisthen a (piestionof knowledge. 
Knowledge is ac({uired by association. If we associate much 
with God we shall know God; if we associate much with Satan 
our knowledge will become sinister. It is therefore clearly 
implied that oui' hap})iness will always be in proportionate rela- 
tion with our knowledge of (Jod, interwoven in practical life. 
The heathen, therefore, who devoutly obey the dictates of an 
unenlightened conscience, will be saved; but they cannot enjoy 
as much ha])piii(>ss as those who. with greater knowledge, util- 
ize their light in enlarging their con«'e|)t ions of Deity and the 
duties of men. 

Turning to the oracles of God we tind this position sus- 
tainecl by this emphatic language: '>For when the Gentiles 
which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in 
th{^ law, these, having not the law. are a law unto themselves; 
which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their 
conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean- 
while accusin": or else excusinir one another,*" 



220 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Here we learn: 

1. That the Gentiles which have not the law of God do 
by nature the things contained therein. 

2. Having not the written law, they are a law unto them- 
selves. 

3. The}^ give external manifestations of the law written 
in their hearts. 

4. The conscience bears witness to this internal law and 
accuses or excuses. 

It is argued that this method of inducting the heathen into 
the kingdom of God supersedes or nullifies the propitiatory 
sacrifice of Christ. By no means. It is clear, faith and knowl- 
edge are concomitant elements or agencies in our salvability. 
But where faith in Christ is impossible, for lack of unattainable 
knowledge, the atonement covers the defect. Will the idiot 
be condemned at the bar of God because he has no personal 
faith in Christ, when the knowledge necessary to that faith has 
been withheld^ Will the unconscious infant be condemned to 
eternal tires because its individual faith in the world's Redeemer 
lacks intelligibility, concentration and persistence? Will untold 
millions of untutored heathen be swept away l\y the wrath of a 
Father when they have never been taught how to avert that 
wrath? Certainly not. Much rather, let us hope that the 
charity inspired by the word and Spirit of God. reaching the 
loving hand of sympathy and help to all the struggling, hop- 
ing, blinded hearts of our race, may be but the faint precursor 
of a united l)rotherhood amidst the flashing light of an unbroken 
day! With God exalted, men redeemed, Christ enthroned, we 
shall read the missjon of conscience in the terminology of 
heaven, and we shall then wonder at the perversity, blindness 
and bigotry which enshrouded this earth-life with the night of 
weeping. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 221 

(p?>^()LTjOWING the a.scension of our Lord, the disciples 
, i^l^ were aclivch' enijao(>d in ju'opngating the truths he 
•^ ^ taught; and even aftei' their eonimendahlc zeal had 
stii"red np serious and vindictive persecution, scattering these 
newly Hedged t(>achers in all directions, they still went every- 
where pnMching the Word. This rapidly (litl'used the (Jospel 
throughout Ihi* Roman empire, whiih in that age ruled the 
world. Had the zeal and correct doctrine of the i)rimitive dis- 
ciples continued in the (^hurch, the evangelization of the world 
would have resulted in a few centuries after the ascent of 
Christ. Unfortunately, the second and third centuries wit- 
nessed deteriorating defects in the spread of the (iospel. lender 
a mistaken and powerful impulse, many able and reverent teach- 
ers conceived the destructive fallacy of ascetism and immured 
themselves in caves and dungeons. 

\\\ the following ages this superstitious isolation was 
changed to the monasteries. Another evil of the times was 
ceremonialism. IVishops occrcpied the chief i)lace in the Church, 
and Bingham states that preaching gradually fell into disuse 
until no one but a bishop was allowed to preach. Sozomen, 
the church historian, declares that in his time the Church of 
Rome had no sermons, either l)y the bishop or any other. Cas- 
siodorus, who was senator and consul at Rome, says that no 
one can produce a sermon preached by a bisho}) of Kome 
before the time of Leo, who Hourishcd in the tiflh century. 
The revival of preaching in his day was spasmodic and 
ephemeral. Not merely at Home, but all through the (irreek 
and Latin churches, preaching was exceptional and rare during 
the long period between the sixth and sixteenth centuries. The 
preaching of Peter the Hermit and the Crusades was excep- 
tional. Preaching, as a tixed institution of the Church, did 
not again become universal until the Reformation. It was 
eagerly seized upon by Luther and his coadjutors, and used 
with such wonderful power that the Church of Rome has never 



922 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



fully recovered from the tremendous reaction occasioned hy its 
introduction. The historical triumph of preaching thus 
becomes the mutual support of its primary attestation. When 
preaching was abandoned, corruption entered and held undis- 
puted sway; and when it was again restored to its primal place 
Christiauity Hourished. \\y virtue, therefore, of the Divine 
sanction, as well as the epitomized verdict of history, preach- 
ing is doubtless to be recognized as the most distinguished and 
potent agency predetermined of Deity, for the rescue of the 
human family from the thraldom of sin. 



^Wii^// ^-^ AKE exceedingly adverse to that boorisl 
iKlr,^^ which enthrones iijnorance and del)ases kno 



sh pride 
lowledge; 
'-^ which crowns the fool anil enslaves the student. 
Such vice is almost un|)ardonable, and invaribly springs from a 
narrow, weak, infantile mind, whose stubborn unreasonable 
prejudices will test the full strength of the educational environ- 
ment of eternal schooling! While this extreme is degrading, 
its ()p})osite is alike de^vtructive. We must here meet the facts 
of history. Our personal experiences, clothed with the peculiar 
fancies and theories engendered by our surroundings, can never 
settle such a question. We must appeal to the logic of events 
though such appeal grind our favorite hobby into dust as 
quickly as an egg shell would l)e shattered l)y the tledged Aving 
of 9 full-grown cyclone. 

What are the facts? Christ chose tAvelve unlettered men 
and they shook the empires of the Avorld. Since then very 
many without the learning of the schools have become flaming 
heralds of the cross, and accomplished wonders for Christ and 
humanity. Such as Bunyan, Carvossa and Moody can never 
die. Their record seems almost as imperishable as truth itself 
and the pigmy mind which would belittle their work will dimin- 
ish itself in the exact and rigid ratio of its pusillanimous, mean, 
and futile attacks. The truly learned are never guilty of such 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 223 



petty, foul tlings ;it honest woitli aiul capjieity ;lmt this ile.s})ica- 
ble role is enacted only by intellectual mushrooms — the juice- 
less nuunniies of a past a£jc — or the chulish pedants, at wliose 
gladiatorial uirdles swinij: the tomahawks and sealpinii knives 
of l>arbarie timesi Both these extremes are guilty l)eeause of 
their superricialitv- Learning when i)roperly sanetitied and 
tempered by the grace of (iod, becomes a powerful auxiliary 
of Christian work. When not thus tempered it may become 
a millstone al»out the neck to drown men in perdition. On the 
other hand, a man may be largely ignorant of the sciences and 
the classics, antl yet in the curriculum of tin; Spirit he may l>e 
wise and learned; far above doctors of divinity whose theology 
rattles from sheer dryness and fossilized mustiness! (lod is 
sovereign. He doeth as it seemeth good to Ilini. He is not 
controlled by the ca})ricious outgrowths of human surround- 
ings. He lays his hand upon this oni' and that one, irrespec- 
tive of human judgment as to elementary proHcienc}'. He 
knows his i)urposes and we are not capable of judging as to the 
W'isdom of his choice unless our wisdom is co-equal with His. 
(ireat learning is therefore no determining factor as to theimli- 
cation of the Divine Mind, neither is the lack of learning con- 
clusi\e evidence airainst the call of (jod. 



J^^ OME OF 1MIK greatest talkers say the least, (iarru- 
^^ lity is not sense. The tongue ready tip[)e(l with the 
^^ weak and brat'kish palaver of social gossip may 
not be capable of an3'thing else. In that case, the man who 
hears is always the survival of the rtttest, since tlu^ man who can 
hear, endure and survive, deserves to survive. The dapper 
little knight with cane and eye-glasses, whose delicate vocal)U- 
lary is confined to the sweetly-scented lu'rfumes of his apothe- 
cary, may be a hero in the battle field of the roses; but in the 
rugged battle of life he is no more than the foam cast up from 
the seething depths below. Let no one conclude, therefore, 



224 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



that because he can talk he is comiiMSsioned to act as 
(tocI's anil)assa(lor. The parrot can talk. The auctioneer 
can wittily hawk his wares. The fish vendor can glibly 
chatter in piscatorial rhyme. The gossip — that scourge of 
home and society — has inmiensc conversational ))owers while 
the blooniinfj hiss, fresh from l)oardinj2^ school, can distance the 
most august philosopher and laugh at the unmanly taciturnity 
of the saire. Indeed, the constant twitter of unmeanino: iarijon 
is a sign of iml)ecility and weakness, and the man or the woman 
cursed with the insipidity of such a deploral)le faculty, gives 
the very best evidence that God has fore-ordained them for the 
pew instead of the pulpit. 



OI) MAKES no mistakes. When he designed the sav 
ing of Noah and his house, there was an ark prepared 
to receive them. A basket was read}^ for Moses Avhen 
he was launched upon his great mission. The ark of the cove- 
nant nmst have a home and the tabernacle is provided. Jonah 
is to l)e swallowed and a tish is read}'. Christ dies and a new . 
grave is waiting. The laws of nature and of grace combine to 
enforce the lesson that when God wants a thing done He sends 
somebody to do it. We are far from asserting that every ves- 
sel which crosses the deep starts under full sail. 

Far from it. Very many of the noblest workmen begin 
their work by dulling their tools and defacing material. We 
do assert, however, that no man who will succeed in the minis- 
try can attempt to preach very often without receiving some 
encouragement from those who hear; either souls will l)e con 
verted, or sinners will be awakened, or God's people will be 
(piickenetl and profited, or words of encouragement will l)e 
spoken, or a desire will be manifested to have the preacher 
preach again. God will tind some way to help His own chosen 
workers. God will not l)reak the wing of the sparrow which 
He hath created and leave it to perish on the l)urning sand! If 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 225 



God's voice rinirs in your heart. He will compel the people to 
hear. The hells of heaA'en will always ring out an audience. 
It may l)e hut one lonely Samaritan, l)ut that one will catch the 
fire from your lips and carry the hrands to evi^-y neigh i)or. 
llememher that as the springing grass and bursting tlowers 
weave their ready answer to the weeping clouds above, so, in 
like manner, the germinating seeds of truth which you scatter 
give out their holy rc.si)onse to the (Jood Father who sends you 
on your mission of love! 



((dJ^HK MINLSTKK nuist rcali/c that he is a pilgrim and a 
^jM^ stranger here. That lu)us(>s. laiuls. t-attle, orchards 
■^ and vineyards are foreordained of (iod as the goods 

and chattels of the laity; that all covetous longings for such 
things are sinful, unless indulged l»y those who have never 
l)een called to preach. He must be willing to sutler rejiroach, 
persecution, poverty and incii)ient starvation, that he may be 
able to give the (JosjX'l to the rich without charge, finish his 
couise with j()>', and in the cud come up smiling, uttering the 
heroic sentiment of Paul: '"Nonk of iiikse things mom-: me.'' 
If he is so unfortunate as to have a family, he must be able to 
contemplate with serene trancjuility and comijlacency the hor- 
rible visions of pi'nury and waul wliicli rise likt- hicK'ous spec- 
ters over the dark futtue of his loved ones. lie must be wil- 
ling to marry couj)les for dried apples, or beans, or nothing; to 
travel miles at his own expense to lay away the dead, and s[)eak 
sweet words at the funerals of the rich and miserly; to be al- 
ways genial and cheerful, though his heart is breaking with 
the manifold and unnecessary hardships imposed upon him. He 
is a public servant, and every i)art of that indescribable some- 
thing known as the public (;uts in a vigorous and clamorous 
claim on his time, his labor, his talent, and his life blood. No 
wonder he sometimes gets weary and desires a i*est where the 



22<> GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



"wicked ceuse from troubling.''' His only support amid these 
tribulations is the blissful recollection that his Master gave up 
riches, throne, glory and life for us. It will not be long. The 
clock of eternity will soon strike and the dial will indicate the 
correct time — that time which is not measured by fame, gold, 
or bank stock. 



t&T^HE WISE pugilist does not beat the air, neither does the 
Mpr- skilled artillerist tire his shots at nothing. He has a deti- 
^ nite mark, and he watches the course of his missies as 
they speed toward his chosen target. In like manner, the 
minister must have an aim and a purpose. Like the discreet 
physician, he does not give the same medicine for all diseases. 
He carefully studies the constitutional structure of each pa- 
tient, and if, like the doctor, he sometimes misses the mark in 
his experiments of discovery, he quickly administers an emetic 
or a tonic, as the case may demand. There are many preach- 
ers who are good students of literature, but who know but com- 
paratively nothing of men. These one-sided men are never 
successful. They are easily duped by every variety of itiner- 
ating theological crank, and they are usually so self-laudatory 
and complacent as to attribute their quiescent surrender to 
the superior meekness of their own charitable souls. Men are 
the targets of our sermons. We do not attenii)t cherubic ref- 
ormation, nor can all our efforts add a single feather to the 
wing of Gabriel. We belong to this race. We have fallen 
with all our fathers who have gone before, and all our posterity 
who shall come after, and our souls l)eing lifted out of dark- 
ness to the light of life by the smile of God and the kiss of the 
Holy Spirit we are to become the living channels of truth and 
sympathy through which the imprisoned hearts of men arc to 
look up into the loving face of God! 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 227 



^Jv^yL^E do not mean to intimate that our woik in any 
''i^lj ■^,. s;cnso is to purchase pardon, or that poor sinful hu- 
^^^^"^^ manity can compensate Deity for the treasures of 
heaven. No; we teach no such faUacy. We (U) believe, how- 
ever, that our estimate of things sought will be graded by our 
eti'orts in the search; that the miner who seeks the precious 
nugget of gold through great weariness and toil, will appreci- 
ate and value it all the more when found; that the student who 
wrests knowledge from the arcana of facts by the severest dis- 
cipline of earnest investigation will rejoice with commensurate 
satisfaction in the obtainment of his lore. Neither the gold 
nor the facts are created or purchased by the search, but the 
diligence necessary in seeking them has had a reflex influence 
on the seeker, inspiring increased joy. If our repentance be 
imperfect, half-hearted or casual, we can never know the awful 
need of our souls; we caiuiot look upon our sins in the light 
that (Jod lu'liolds tlicm through the iiilinite agonies of (leth- 
semane and Calvary; we cauuol measure the stu})en(lous con 
descension of the son of God; and not l)eing altle to walk this 
path of tears and blood our eyes camiot i)ehold the glory of the 
empty sepulcher, the grandeur of the ascension, nor the transcend- 
ant beauty of our heavenly home. The spiritual illumination 
which forecasts the coming dawn, is just as necessary as that 
natural sight becomes the avenue through which the auroral 
tints of the morning are mirrored upon the human soul. 
Heavenly alHnity is soul-life and must necessarily begin in the 
first heart-throb of spiritual animation. Much of our modern 
theology would bridge the Slough of Despond. It would bring 
the seeker directly to the cross without knowing what he wants. 
It wouhl teach him to look and live, when he has not as yet 
made the discovery that he is dead. It would tell him there is 
life in Christ, whereas he feels that he is now better than ordi- 
nary mortals; that he does not need Christ particularly, except 
to put the finishing touch of moral varnish upon his innate 
goodness and superior excellence! 



228 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



^^^^^^^,ViY7^ THPj burning contact of Gofrs Spirit is recog- 
')I I wf'^ nized l)y every atiection, desire and impulse of our 
^ — ^ hearts, we have no time and little disposition to quib- 
ble with the entirety of the message which the Divine Sover- 
eign places in our hands and upon our lips. It required the 
unnatural and unpleasant sea voyage of Jonah to discipline the 
recalcitrant prophet and thoroughly convince him that God was 
master of the situation. After his suljmarine experience he is 
perfectly willing to surrender his own will to the Divine and 
make rapid flight toward the scene of his operations. God's 
right to command His own servants as to men and message 
cuts through every desire, every custom, every taste, everj^ 
prejudice, and everything about us, that He may make us ves- 
sels tit for the Masters use. We can no more control the 
forked lightning and dictate the locality to be smitten, than Ave 
can control these things. God's law is the end of controversy. 
The man who quibbles with either its mildness or its rigidity 
has yet to learn loyalty to his king. 



w 



^?^^A1TH MUST BE preached, earnestly, completely and 

'(^ constantly. Faith cannot be descril)e(l. It is trust, 
reliance, confidence, rest, all combined, and possibly a 
great deal more than the entire combination. It is quite cer- 
tain that words cannot sound the profound depths of meaning 
couched under the scriptural idea of faith. It is the leverage 
of heaven lifting us out of ourselves. It is the quenchless torch 
of life which irradiates all gloom. It is the torch of immortal- 
ity quivering in the last heart-throbs of the dying Son of God. 
It is the golden link with which hope bridges the awful chasm 
of death and brings us into communion with the loving Father. 
It is the flower of life set in the garden of the heart by the 
pierced hand! It is the magic wand of eternity which appro- 
priates all promise, uses all law, transforms all judgment, 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 229 



swoctcns all provKU'iice. enriches all poverty, antl twisting 
those diverse strands of life into the niighty cable of iindex iat- 
ing love, hinds us to the throne of God! 

It nuist l)(> experienced to l)e known. A man immured his 
whole life in a dungeon, without a sight of a single ray of light, 
could no more fitly and ade(|uately descrilx' the sensations pro- 
duced hy standing in the full glare of the sunmicr 
sunlight, than a man without the hallowed illumination of the 
faith which saves can [)r()perly descrihe (Mther the sensation or 
the eti'ect. Rest assured, talking aI»out faith and knowing what 
we say are two distinct things. \Ve may learn the voi'al)ulary 
of the letter which may l)e repeated glil)ly and parrot like, and 
yet know no more of the depths of faith than the dancing hub- 
hie al)ove the rapids at Niagara knows of the seething w'aters 
beneath. Here l)ooks. the experience of others, and even the 
written word will fail us. Here we interpret the word by our 
cx})cri(>nce. ^^'e measure this New Jerusalem with the meas- 
uring line of our faith. \Vhen our hearts absorl) the promises 
of God, we know their meaning, but not until then. It is 
well to show that faith not only appropriates the infinite 
gifts of God, so potent in our salvation, but that it is highly 
pleasing to Him. Nothing could insult the loving Father 
more acutely than to doubt His veracit}'. 



^I^^HE TRUE MINISTER of Christ cannot afford to be in- 
^Wf difterent, ignorant or silent on the public questions 
^ which art'ect the happiness and well-l)eing of the people. 
Nearly all these questions have a moral element, through which 
the transcendant truth of the world's history, the climacteric 
glory of the ages tiltcrs the tibrous streams of light upon the 
bruised and aching heart of humanity. 

Patriarchs, prophets, Jesus and his Apostles were all in- 
terested in the questions touching the welfare of the nations, 
tind surely we ought to be. We are pul)lic teachers, and as 



230 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



such we must be abreast of the current facts of our times. If 
we fail here the more specific and important truths rehiting to 
personal salvation will fall upon listless oars. We nuist main- 
tain the intellectual respectability of our calling. We should 
fearlessly espouse that side of all public (juestions where we are 
morally certain Christ would be found were He now person- 
ally ministering to the children of men. The side of pity, of 
mercy, of humanity, is always the side of God. The contempt- 
ible spirit of caste and cynical aristocracy which would push 
the poor and degraded from our sanctuaries, and sneer at their 
rags and l)eggary, may satisfy the cruel demands of our mod- 
ern society; but in the eyes of Him who received sinners, ate 
with Publicans, and spake tenderly to penitent harlots, such a 
course of conduct would reveal a heart "set on fire of hell!" 
Christ's life is the sui)rcme adjustment of all social friction. 
What woidd He do were He in my stead, is the sublime inquiry 
which should alway.*; antedate the personal interrogation: What 
shall ] do that 1 am now in His stead? If we are to become 
the reflectors of His life we must study that life and seek to in- 
corporate the moral grasp of that life into our own. In order 
to do this we must forget all prejudice, all preference, all big- 
otry, and with child-like simplicity and faith receive the law 
from the lips of God. 

We cannot give out what we have not received. Truth is 
a fountain bubbling up from the unseen reservoir fed by the 
hand of God. Our hearts must grapple every (piestion of life 
only as God directs, and then the unseen feeders of our faith, 
like the hidden streams supplying the gushing fountain, will 
flood our moral being; our teaching, our influence, and society 
witlithe sweet perfume of the heavenly atmosphere. Minis- 
ters cannot atford to be figure-heads or weather-vanes. They 
arc leaders bearing credentials from the Almighty, and they 
need to make tlieir calling und election sure. Popular sins 
must be atta(tked with all the artillery of h(\aven. The institu- 
tions of the (i.)spol ruiist b(> i)resorved from the encroachmenls 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 231 



of tlio world. That wliich will rorriipl our youth, impoverish 
the iiiind or destroy our Sabbaths, should l>e mercilessly assailed 
in the name of Ilini who said: "My house shall he called a 
house of prayer, hut ye have made it a den of thieves.'" Fairs, 
festivals, and fi;eneral elap-trap, pui-porting to be moral and 
helpful in promoting piety, must be unmasked and their false 
livery torn oil" with a firm and unrelenting hand. Many with a 
mawkish sentimentality will advise moderation where hesitation 
is death. They would have yon sugar-coat the poison which 
can only kill and destroy. Radicalism for the right is never 
anything more or less than truth on tire! If you would have 
a conflagration which consumes you must strike sparks from 
the Hint of vigorous contact. Doubt, hesitancy and inditterence 
are the allies of the Devil. They will weaken your purposes 
to honor (rod, and ultimately crown your def(>at with moral 
cowardice. Be certain you are right and then go straight for- 
ward. Do not pose as an ecclesiastical Indly, or advertise 
ofBcioiisly your boiling pugnacity, but do not be afraid to as- 
sert your manhood and think for yourself. Antagonize some- 
thinff! Believe somethins: and be willing to stand to it until 
convinced by argument that your belief is erroneous. 



^Wrg^HAT IN THIS life is comparable with the grandeur 
■^wjIfX^ of the minister's theme? He speaks for God and 
^^==^^^=^ men. He would join humanity with Deity in the 
bonds of eternal wedlock. His priesthood on earth becomes 
the fitting counterpart of the higher Priesthood of the skies! 
All the developments of history, the acquisitions of science, the 
budding beauties of poetry, the flowers of rhetoric, the embel- 
lishments of sculpture and painting, arc but the stars of this 
earthly constellation, which fade away in the glowing light of 
the Sun of Righteousness. The minister weaves the psalm of 
life into every sentenc(\ He sjx'aks of home as no one (dse 
can, since every fiber of his mission vibrates with the tuneful 



232 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



melody or the gniting discords of life. He stands l)y the little 
grave and transforms the sob of bereft motherhood into the bow 
of promise spanning the night of eternity! He comes with the 
tender touch of a sanctified humanity, and broken hearts leap 
with the inspiration of a new hope. He points the aged and 
intirm to a land of eternal youth. He directs the maimed, the 
deformed, the diseased to a home where they shall never say, 
''I am sick." He speaks with assuring contidence of broken 
friendships restored, of families reunited, of hopes budding into 
immutable certainty, and the green verdure of perpetual spring 
time bursting over the grave of the dead and dismal past! He 
speaks as the oracle of God! He becomes the shivering thun- 
derbolt of Sinai, or the sweet and tender mouthpiece of Calvary. 
He is the gloomy herald of judgment and the joyful embassa- 
dor of mercy. With time for his rostrum, eternal destiny his 
theme, the salvation of souls his object. Clod for his judge, 
mankind his brotherhood, Christ his companion, the minister 
em])odies in his work the awful and sul)lime realities of life, in 
a manner unknown to the auirelic armies of heaven. 



tow MANY preachers seem to imagfne that an unearth- 
ly theme should lieget an unearthly manner! They 
-^ ^ act as nothing in heaven, on earth, or under the earth 
is supposed to act. Their conduct transcends the realm of sup- 
position or conjecture and enters the absolutely unknowable. 
One man ati'ects the sepuk-hral tone, and talks in the gloomy 
variations of the bass-viol, until you feel perfectly justitied in 
attributing to icy human lips that gloomy voice from the 
caverns of eternity; ••lltuk from the toml)S a doleful 
sound.'' Another will scrceeh in the tine tenor key of an ac- 
(juired habit, like the rasping discords of an unmusical saw- 
mill. Still another will yiAX like a C^omanche Indian when in- 
dulging in his blood-curtlling war-whoops. He seems to imag- 
ine there is a peculiar spirituality in noise. He would tire the 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 233 



sweetest and teiulerest (Jospel ine!SS!ii»;es with tlie most vigorous 
dynamite from a Knipp l>alteiy. He would harness the earth- 
quake of hu^nan thunder and the cj'elone of vioh'nt vehement 
jjestieuh'ition in a tandem team before the niihl messages of 
love, lie wouhl eonvinee the sul)tle reason hy the dynamies 
of force, and storm the eitadel of the human heart with the 
battering ram of sound. He deals in a muscular Christianity, 
in which the physical organs of the body i)lay the most imjxjr 
tant part. He yells and l)ellows, and screams and fumes, until 
hoarse and debilitated with the unnatural process, he dwindles 
into the dreamy weakness of lassitude, and expatiates languidly 
on the wonderful sacritices of the ministry! His hearers wonder, 
s^'mpathi/e and pity. Sympathetic })arish()ners, trembling and 
afraid, would approach this piece of volcanic humanity with 
the charitable hope that they may be allowed the pot)r privilege 
of modifying the eruptions, but when they timidly and fear- 
fidly mention their mission of love, they are rejected with the 
freezing scorn of injured innocence! Surely, the I)oister()us 
ranter ought to know that the vei'y peculiarity which he regards 
as indis|)ensal)le, the sutiering auditors would dispen.se with 
without a pang of regret, and joyfully regard as a positive 
means of grace. 



IOWA TO 1 HE FRONT. 

April, 1SS2. 

i^'pN 1840 the j)resent State of Iowa was admitted into the 
Union. Its growth from that time to the }M-esent has 
i- been marvelous and uninterru})ted. During the war of 
the Kebellion, Iowa sent 83,000 troops to the tield, and since 
the war the march in agricultural and manufacturing develop- 
ment has been simply enormous. Railroads thread the State 
in all directions, and the school system is unsurjjasscd. if not 
unequaled. 



234 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



In 1870 there were sixteen colleges and universities in the 
State, and it is probable there are at least twenty-rtve ?t the 
present time. It is settled principally by hardj^ intelligent 
farmers — men of nerve, quick perception, and wonderful en- 
ergy. It is pre-eminently proper and appropriate that this 
growing, thrifty State should l)e one of the first to wheel into 
line on the temperance question. Already the Legislature has 
passed the Prohibitory Amendment to the Constitution and the 
sanction of the people is all that is required to make it law. 
That this sanction will be given can hardly be doubted. 

If Iowa fails to adopt what her wise and noble legislators 
now submit she will rivet the chains of pauperism and crime 
around her future destiny, and extort the curses of her smiling 
prairies upon the blasted homes of her posterity. She dare not 
be guilty of such treason. Her schools Avould be outraged; her 
enterprise would be chilled; her intelligence would be smitten 
with decay, and her glory would depart forever. She stands 
now as the pivotal light-house of this great nation. Her noble 
sister — Kansas — led by the grand, Christian hero of the nine- 
teenth century, stretches out her trembling hands for sympathy 
and help in the terrific struggle now being waged within her 
borders. Thousands of dollars, wrung from bleeding homes 
and starving orphans, are being poured into Kansas to make 
prohil)ition o(!1ous. Political hacks, bummers, saloon lepers — 
the vampires of society, the barnacles of industry — papers, the 
sold and subsidized vehicles of stereotyped falsehood, are all 
put in solid phalanx against God, humanity, righteousness, 
peace and sobriety, by the active drill-sergeants of the devil. 

The moral eftect of complete victory in Iowa will be elec- 
trifying. Kansas will gird herself anew. Other States will 
behold the light, and one after another will come trooping out, 
like the stars emertjins: from behind a dark cloud in a Summer 
sky. Thus the victory will go on until a perfect constellation, 
resplendent with glor}^, will burst upon the vision. The first 
States which cast their fetters upon the grave of intemperance 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 28.' 



will be the stars of promise in this conflict. They will be 
woven like strands of ligiit into the pillar of lire which leads our 
path to victor3^ Thej'^ will pile up the chains of their past 
slaver}' — now l)roken forever — as the brightest monument of 
their trium})h. Unlike heathiMi kings, they will no longer 
build their mausoleums with the l)ones and skulls of the dead. 
The monuments reared to insanity, in the raving delirium of 
loved ones crazed; in the broken vows of the marital relation, 
and the cruel fiendishness of human demons; in the l)eggary 
and woe occasioned l>y drink; in the disease, wretchedness and 
squalor of smitten homes; in penitentiaries crowded and scaf- 
folds groaning with their plethora of victims; in the drunkards' 
graves in every cemetery, and the awful forebodings of the ter- 
rible future — these monuments, with their gory inscriptions, 
their breathing nightmare, their horrible phantasmagoria, will 
be relegated to the unknown. 

Who can fail to sustain a measure which would certainly 
and effectively remove this blight? Can a man with the hu- 
mane instincts of his kind hesitate? Much less can a man who 
professes to follow Christ doul)t his duty? What was Christ's 
mission? To bless and save! Ours must be in harmony with 
his, or Me are against him. A\'hat does that mean? It means 
we are doing what Satan desires we should do, and this certainly 
would be an anomalous position for Christians. Failing to ren 
der our fellowmen help toward a better life, wherever and 
whenever we can, renders us just as guilty as the open violation 
of (lod's law. The neglect of Christ's salvation is sufficient to 
condemn us, for has not (xod thrillingly inquired, ^^Ifoir shall 
we escape if we neglect so great salvation? On the same prin- 
ciple, if we neglect to use the means, and aZ/ the legitimate 
means we can to rescue the fallen victims of drink, we become 
guilty liefore God. God has not divorced our religion from 
the happiness and security of home. Rnthei", our religion must 
l)righten every home it touches, like the life of our blessed 
Master But if our neutrality and supineness in the temper- 



236 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



ance work amounts to neglect, what is our intluence but the 
serpent's fang, which poisons the wounds which Satan hath 
made^ 

AVe trust that every Christian minister, every Christian 
man, and every (Uiristian woman will Ite found upon the right 
side in this conllict. We cannot atiord to bring up the retreat 
of any reformatory movement. The cries of humanity must 
melt the fetters of our past captivity. The clerical hallelujah, 
mingling with the hoarse baying of bloodhounds on scent of 
fleeing fugitives, is lost among the joyous flowers growing on 
the tomb of slavery! We do not want the infamy repeated 
now. We do not want skulkers, who will creep into camp 
under cover of the night, and in the broad daylight of the com- 
ing glory lustily assert their constant allegiance to the temper- 
ance work. We want men, brave men, and we want them 
now? The fate of unborn millions hangs upon our decision. 
Our children's children will either bless or curse our memories 
for the position we now take. The last echoes from the old 
bell in Independence Hall were only heard when the ringing 
laugh of the last slave-child broke forth like a ripple of joy on 
the sea of Emancipation! With joyous hope for the great fu- 
ture, we cry, 'Towa, to the front ! '' 



THE ORIGIN OF THE CHURCH OF GOD. 

T SEEMS to us peculiarly appropriate that the tirst thing to 
be settled is the meaning of the title, "Church of God.'' 
If it is the congregation, the organic, local, literal body 
of believers, and that only, the question may not be hard to 
settle. 

Does the mere fact of membership in this organic body 
make a man a member of the Church of God, as that church 
is developed in the holy scriptures? If it does, then an un- 
saved man may be a member of the Church of God, and this 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 287 



would logically imply that said church may l^e a human insti- 
tution. 

Now, the term ckkleesid^ according to Greek scholars, 
means the out-called; l)ut surely when associated with the Su- 
preme Being it means called out for Ilim, his service and his 
worU. In this connection the essential meaning of the word is 
the same Avhether ai)plied to the congregation of Israel or the 
New Testament Church. In the one case it recognizes a na- 
tional development, while in the other it points to a spiritual 
development. Did not God call the descendents of Abraham 
as his own in contradistinction to all other tribes? Israel was 
the out-called of the nations. Did this fact insure the holiness 
and devotion of all tlie congregation of Israeli By no means! 
Thousands fell in the wilderness because of their wickedness. 
AVe see then that something else was necessary to make Isrtiel 
the real out-called of God than a place in the visible congrega- 
tion. So, something else is absolutely necessary to fix the date 
of the origin of the Church of God, than its visible organiza- 
tion after Pentecost. 

Is a wicked man in a church organization any part of the 
true Church of God? If he is, then a whole church may i>e 
wicked, and yet be a Church of God. This cannot be, because 
it lacks a primary qualitication. Was not the same thing true 
of Israeli "For they are not all Israel which are of Isiael: 
Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are ihev all 
children." Now, if they were not all children though they be- 
longed to the seed of Abraham in visible and literal connection 
with the Abrahamic stock, by what peculiar logic can we deter- 
mine the origin of the Church of (iod l>y its visible an<l or- 
ganic formation^ 

The literal organization of the Church is (iod's manifesta- 
tion to men, as Christ manifest in the flesh is his avenue leav! 
ing us up to the Deity. His humanity is but the covering of 
his divinity, and the prior existence of the latter gives all the 
prestige and power existing in the former. So the organization 



23 S GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



of the church, its ordinances, its visibility, etc., compose the 
body in wiiich the Holy Spirit dwells, and antecedently quick- 
ened by that Spirit, or the very word Church becomes a mis- 
nomer. 

How then can we date the origin of the Church of God, 
except we know the date of the Holy Spirit's tirst work? To 
say that Christ was thirty-three years old when he died, is 
speaking after the manner of men, and does not settle his real 
age. So, to our mind, to date the origin of the Church by its 
visible manifestation is accommodating divine things to our ma- 
terial conceptions, and is not speaking according to the Bible. 
Now, we hold that the very word ''out called" indicates a neces- 
sity. That necessity is that God calls and they heed. Then, 
unless this communion between the believer and God vitally 
exists, the members of visible churches are not the out-called of 
God. They are the out-called of men, consequently not mem- 
bers, l)iblically s[)eaking, of the Church of God. 

If not members of the Church of God by virtue of a vol- 
untary, organic combination, what is the essential necessity 
making them such? 

We answer, ''The new birth!" But we are told this is em- 
phatically a New Testament doctrine. We are not so sure of 
that. The tirst reference Christ makes implies more. When 
Nicodemus said, "How can these things be?" Jesus answered, 
' 'Art thou a master of Israel and knowest , not these things?" 
Christ expected that a teacher of Israel ought to know the truths 
he was teaching, and this indicates clearly that however much 
the nomenclature might difier, the substantial facts of regener- 
ation are the same in all ages. Now, then, the whole question 
turns upon this point: Is the origin of the church to be dated 
from the essential and absolutely necessary elements of its con- 
stitution, or from its outward form, which may exist without 
its being a Church of God at all? If the former, the fact 
cannot be ascertained; if the latter, we lose the Bible idea of 
the Church. The fact is, the formative period of Church life 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 239 



is but the outgrowth of a prior state of acceptance witii (iocl. 
What was true of tlie apostolic church is true still. We can- 
not organize true Churches of God without prei)ar('(l material. 
Who prepares it? God, of course. 

Then who is to have the credit of calling out from the 
world the intlividual members of the church, the Lord Al- 
mighty, whose Spirit performs the real work, or the human 
agency, which simply organizes what (Jod has done? We very 
well know that it will be said that the word th-liecsia refers to 
the congregation. Very well. But the congregation of be- 
lievers embodies the elementary idea of holiness and separation. 
From whence does this idea emanate!* Evidently not from the 
congregation alone, for this applied to the wicked rabl)h! at 
Ephesus, which was very far from a ('lunch of God. The 
fact is, this word sometimes refers to the entire body of be- 
lievers, and again it is limited to a local organization. ''And 
the Lord added to the c'k/>'lt'c\sia daily such as should be saved,'' 
(Acts ii-J:7.) This passage clearly and unmistakably uproots 
and demolishes the modern deception that men can bo scriptur- 
ally added to the IJible church by any other power than the 
Lord. This cannot be by the right hand of fellowship, ba[)- 
tism, feet washing, communion, etc., because these are physical 
performances and never administered by the Lord. 

Then men must l)e added to the spiritual ckJilccsiit by the 
Lord, and this nuist be done prior to local, organic union; for 
their membership does not depend on the partnership in the 
visible congregation, but o\\ the divine qualitication — saved! 
How then can we date the origin of the Church of (iod from 
its visible manifestations? Again, in Hebrews xii-23, we have 
the same word used in a general sense. Here the eJi-JiIecsta is 
very large. The congregation is made up of the general as- 
sembly and church of the first born, which are written in 
heaven. Here our human conceptions are again corrected. 
'^Written in heaven,'" becomes the necessary antecedent of 
church communion. 



240 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Again, the church spoken of here is composed of every 
believer in Christ, and therefore cannot be limited to any local 
sphere, nor to any visible congregation, inasmuch as writing 
their names in heaven is God's act, and therefore unseen by 
mortal eyes. Now, while this word is frequently used when 
referring to the local organization, we believe it is never used 
Avhen applied to the out-called of God — the peculiar people 
zealous of good works — without, at the same time incorpo- 
rating the idea of previous holiness or communion with God. 
The visible is then the outgrowth of the invisible, the local of 
the general, and the literal is the result of the spiritual. This 
we believe is God's revelation of the church. 

Plaving laid the foundation, we now proceed with our 
argument. We affirm that what the Bible calls '*the churcir' 
had an existence long before the day of Pentecost. A^^e do not 
deny very important changes in the visible organization, but 
this does not touch the tenability of our position. The law 
was given l)y Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ; 
yet we cannot assume that the grace and truth of Jesus nulli- 
fies the Ten Commandments. We prove our position from 
these considerations: 

1. The general assend)ly in heaven is called ''the church."" 
Now if this assembly embraces the New Testament church only 
it is not general, but partial. 

If the prophets are not in this company, which Paul calls 
"the cluu'ch,'' they are not saved; for he says this assembly had 
their names written in heaven. If they were saved outside of 
the church here, l)y another process, did they just join the 
church in heaven^ And by what process did they get in? Did 
they unite with the visil)le organization after Pentecost? If 
that was their entrance into the church, they had a long proba- 
tion, and we fear could not be saved at all. But if they be- 
longed to the church before Pentecost, then the church existed 
before. If they were saved by a church entirely distinct from 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 241 



the Church of (Jod, then there woukl he two i^eneial assem- 
blies, whereas God speaks of but one, and tluit the "Church of 
the tirstborn." 

2. Stephen said, Tiiis is lie (Christ) that was in the church 
in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him (Moses) 
in the Mount Sinai, and with our fathers: 

Here we learn that '*the church" was with Moses in the 
wilderness. Secondly, that Christ was in that church, though 
nearly lifteen-hundred years before his literal birtli. \\'hat lie- 
comes now of the assumption that the church could not exist 
before Christ's actual advent in the flesh? Stephen says it did 
exist, and intimates <|uite conclusively that Christ was its head 
hundreds of years before his birth at licthleheni. 

3. "And all tluit dwell upon the earth shall worship hiin, 
whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb 
slain from the foundation of the world." (Kev. xiii-8.) 

There is then but one book of life, that is of the Lamb, 
and lu' slain from the foundation of the world. N')w, he was 
not actually slain until he died on Calvary, but in the mind of 
(lod he was. Looking through (Jod's mini! to the atonement 
is what saves the soul, whether the individual be Abel beside 
his rude altar, or Saul of Tarsus from the plains of Damascus. 
All the types and shadows of the old law pointed forward to 
Christ, and men were saved by the faith which they represent- 
ed; while all the ordinances of the New Testament point back- 
ward to the same Saviour, and still men are saved by the faith 
tbey represent. We hold that the Bible church idea is more in 
the internal, divine salvation, than in the external, which serve 
only for the saving power. 

4. Isaiah, in speaking of Christ, conforms to this idea of 
his ever living presence at all times. "II(; hath no form nor 
comeliness," ''He is despised and rejected of men," "He was 
despised and we esteemed Him not," "surely He hath borne 
our griefs and with his stri[)es we are healed." "He was op- 
pressed and He was afflicted" *'for the transgression of my 

16 



242 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



people was He stricken." The prophet looks lipon the atone- 
ment as an accomplished fact, because it was so in the mind of 
God. 

5. Paul says, "By faith Moses, when he was come to 
years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 
choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than 
to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the re- 
proach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. 

1. Here we have Moses choosing. 

2. Choosing affliction. 

3. With the people of God. 

4. This people suffering reproach. 

5. That reproach the reproach of Christ. 

How could Moses suffer the reproach of Christ if there 
was no Christ to save until his physical manifestation? We 
have not only found the church in the Old Testament, but the 
Christ who is the head over all things to the church. Now, is 
sin alwa3's a physical manifestation? By no means. Then why 
argue illogically that the physical offering of Christ must take 
place before the atonement is efficacious for the destruction of 
sin? Faith is not a physical act at all. It is a mental act. and 
therefore must harmonize with the constitution of God, who is 
a Spirit. The soul, grasping the design of God, is brought in- 
to the realization of whatever blessino;s accrue from that design. 
Therefore the "body of Christ," spoken of in the scriptures 
as his church, refers to its physical constitution only in a 
secondary way, and its spiritual affinities in a primary sense. 
Take Paid's illustration of the body. He says Clirist is our 
life. What does life do for the l)ody? Life is the first thing 
necessary to do anything. So the broken bread and the fruit 
of the vine become utterly valueless without preceding prepa- 
ration. Then it ia clear that these physical representations do 
not manifest our faith in the sufferings of Christ's body only; 
but, rather, that the words "in remembrance of me" compass 
the whole sacrificial ofiering, culminating in the death of the 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 243 



victim on the cross. lake Christ's own iUustration; "lam tlic 
vine, ye are the blanches. " Tiie branches (h) not sustain th<' 
vini\ l)iit they are created by an internal, unseen force. So 
the physical development of Christ's body is but the oulgiowth 
of a mighty, spiritual potentiality in the economy of (ioifs 
plan. 

0. "For by one Spirit are we all baptizeil into one body."' 
If we enter the body l>y the Spirit we do not enter it by l)hys- 
ical locomotion. "lUit now halh (lod set the members every 
one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him." If God 
does it, who can say that he is limited to any particular time? 
'''And (iod hath set some in the church." If God sets us in 
the church, which is Christ's body, does he do it physically or 
spiritually^ If he does it i)hysically, why did the Apostles take 
the matter out of his hands and assume to do what lie gave 
them no authority for doing^ If He sets us in the church 
spiritually we want to know why the physical death of Christ 
niiisl taki' place before God could perform this preliminary 
necessity to church membership. 

Conlirmatory of our position taken, we now (piote from 
I Corinthians, x, as follows: 

' 'Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be igno- 
rant how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all 
passed through the sea, and were all baptizeil unto Moses in 
the cloud and in the S(;a. and did all eat the same spiritual meat, 
and did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of 
that Spiritual Kock that followed them; and that Kock was 
Christ." 

The Rock followed them, so it was not the stationary 
article. It gave forth spiritual drink, .^o it was not a fountain 
of literal water. It was Christ, so that his physical death was 
not a necessity to sustain the ''body of Christ," which is the 
church. 

We now propose to examine the distinct (pialilications of 
membership in the liible church, and by this means we can de- 



244 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



tennine, at least partially, the cliaracter of the church itself. 
We begin with the means: 

1. PreacJit iKj. 

God has always pointed the world to His Son through 
preaching; and tiie argument attempted, that preaching is dis- 
tinctly a New Testament order to bring man to salvation, will 
not bear the test of criticism. 

David says: '^I have preached righteousness in the great 
congregation. 

1. The Psalmist preached. 

2. The })lace is designated — The great congregation. 

3. The subject is given — Riirhteousness. 

"And thou hast also appointed })rophets to preach of Thee 
at Jerusalem.'' (Neh. vi-7.) 

Then the prophets were preachers, commissioned of God 
to preach of him at Jerusalem. What can be more conclusive 
than that preaching is not exclusively a New Testament institu- 
iioxii 

"Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto 
it the preaching that I l)id thee.'' (Jonah iii-2.) 

Here we learn that Jonah was a preacher, with a message 
given him by the Lord, at least eight hundred years before 
Christ was born. Surely that is not confined to New Testa- 
ment history. But we add the testimony of Jesus himself. 
"The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this genera- 
tion, and shall condemn it, because they repented at the preach- 
ing of Jonas; and behold a greater than Jonas is here.'''' We 
suppose Christ's testimony, so clear and emphatic, ought to be 
valid. Listen to Peter: "P)Ut those things which God before 
had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should 
suffer, He hath fulfilled. Repent ye, therefore, and be con- 
verted, that your sins may be I)lotted out when the times of re- 
freshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall 
send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you." 



GOLDEN GI.EANrXGS. 245 



1. The flows had Christ preached unto them. 

2. Before He came in the thvsh. 

?,. P.y all the prophets. 

Hut the (lospel itself was preached in the days of Abra- 
ham. *>And the scripture, foreseeins; that (Jod would justify 
the heathen through faith, pr(;a('h<*d before the gospel unto 
Abraham, saying, *In TIuh' shall all nations he blessed.'" 

These quotations indicate conclusively that preaching was 
not exclusively a New Testament order. Time would fail us 
to speak of Noah, the preacher of righteousness, of Samuel, of 
Elijah, of Daniel, and others. 

2. Prayrr. 

Prayer is an Old Testament institution, and it is a singu- 
lar fact that there are more refcn'ences made to it in the Old 
than in the New. It is also remarkable that there are a great 
many more prayers of ditterent kinds recorded in the Old than 
in the New. Holy men have always been preeminently noted 
as men of prayer. Whether men lived before Christ sutlered 
in the flesh or since that event, prayer seems a common neces- 
sity, and it does seem a little remarkable that if the Bible 
(/hurch of (jod is so vastly ditierent in its elementary constitu- 
tion since the personal advent of Christ, that the same reijuire- 
ments are imperatively necessary. 

3. Repentance. 

Hepentance for sin was clearly and detinitely apprehended 
under the old dispensation. The tifty-tirst Psalm, written by 
David while sutiering th(; most dreadful soul anguish l)ecause 
of his sin. is without a ))arallel in lhe<'ntir<' Bil)le. Such con- 
trition, such loathing of himself, such concentration of abhor- 
rence, such pleading with (iod for cleansing, indicate the keen- 
est moral perceptions, and shows (piite conclusively that the 
moral rei|nirements of the New Testament were not unknown 
to the Old. 



240 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



Samuel, confronting Saul, speaks of God on this wise: 

''For He is not a man that He should repent.'' This lan- 
guage conclusively and forcibly indicates the pievalent knowl- 
edge on the subject of repentance; that it does not belong to 
Deity; but that in view of niMn's frailty and erring judgment, 
and his sinful predisposition, it is essentially and rigidly a hu 
man duty. The physical death of Christ has not changed this 
much. 

4. Faith. 

We now come to notice the great instrumental cause of 
human deliverance. We have been told, ''That credible evi- 
dence of faith In Christ is necessary to membershi}) in the 
church. But this could onl}^ have been required after Christ 
came into the world.'" This is a necessary and legitimate con- 
clusion to the premise that the "body of Christ,'' the church, 
could not exist before Christ's literal, real body, suflered on 
Calvary. We have shown this premise to Ix' false, and we now 
proceed to show that the conclusion is equally so. In the 
prophecy of Habakuk ii-4, we have this language: "The just 
shall live by his Faith." 

Now, how is a man made just? "Therefore being justified 
by faitii we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus 
Christ." 

But, sa3^s one, "no one was justified before Christ's literal 
appearance." Let us see. Jesus said, "Your father Abraham 
rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it and was glad." 

In his exulting faith in the coming Messiah, the old patri- 
arch rejoiced and was glad. That looks something like faith. 
Again, Christ says: "Before Al)raham was I am." If he ex- 
isted before Abraham, he could become an object of faith be- 
fore his literal advent. Christ's words in this passage are in 
perfect harmony with our entire line of argument. "Even as 
Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for right- 
eousness," "Know ye, therefore, that they which are of faith, 
the same are the children of Abraham." 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 24? 



1. Al)raham believed God. 

2. Ilis faith was accounted to him for righteou!»ness. 

8. They who have faith, whether Jew or Gentile, are 
Abraham's chiKlren; not as lineal descendants, but as children 
in the one family of faith. "For ye are all the children of 
God by faith in Christ Jesus.'"' "He saith not, 'And to seeds 
as of many; l)ut as of one. and to Thy seed, which is C^hrist.' 
And this I say, that the covenant that was contirnicd before of 
God, in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty 
years after, cannot disannul that it should make the promise of 
none etlect.'' This law of faith was prior to the giving of the 
dccMJoi^uc, which l*:ml says was "added" because of ti'ansgres- 
sions. liy faith Abel oHered uiito C^od a more excellent sacri- 
fice than Cain, by which he ol)t:iiued witness that lie was right- 
eous. Kiioch was also a cliild of faith, and liad the testimony 
that he pleased (rod. What more can any child of (iod have 
than the witness from God that he is acce})ted^ 

1. These holy men were moved by faith. 

2. In answer to their faith, God gave them the witness 
they were righteous. 

3. If their faith was not founded on the coming Messiah 
they were saved without Christ. 

4. If not saved by ChiMst, what saved them? 

The formidable passage in the sixteenth chapter of Mat- 
thew reads as follows: 

•^Vnd I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and ujjou 
this rock I will l)uild my church; and the gates of hell shall not 
prevail against it." The word "will" does not preclude the 
possibilit}' of prior building. Rather, we take it, Christ meant 
to convey the idea of a comjiletion of the building by breaking 
down the middle wall of i)artition between .lew and Gentile, 
thus making of twain one new man, in the common acknowl- 
edgment of the divinity of Christ. The liible is full of this 
meaning of the word "will." 



248 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



"I will love Theo, O Lord, my strenijth.'" To put David's 
love for God all in the future is to do violence to the sense of 
the passage. Again, '^1 will extol Thee, O Lord;" "I will 
bless the Lord at all times;'' "-I will hear what (xod the Lord 
will speak;'' "I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever;" 
"I will sing of mercy and judgment;" ''I will keep Thy 
statutes." 

No one in reading these passages can conclude reasonably 
that David was a wicked sinner when he uttered these words, 
and spoke prospectively of what he expected to do for the first 
time in his life. Kather, would not reason dictate that he uses 
the word ^'will" to express his determination that he will pros- 
ecute to the end the religious life already l)egun? 

But let us look at the passage more closely. What does 
Christ mean'!' 

Does Christ mean to say that he will build his literal church 
upon the literal Peter, and that the gates of hell shall not pre- 
vail against that church^ Evidently not. For in that case He 
would have a foundation exceedingly unstal)le, forasmuch as 
Peter denied his Lord. Hoav could the building endure Avhen 
the foundation is splintered all to pieces by the first jar of the 
gates of hell? 

2. Does he mean the word ''rock" as the expressive in- 
terpretation of Peter's name? Not likely, for Christ himself is 
the "Chief corner stone," thus making another foundation a 
grand impertinance. "For other foimdation can no man lay 
than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." 

3. Now, look at the context. Peter had said, "Thou 
art the Christ, the Son of the living God;" and Christ had re- 
plied, " Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my 
Father which is in heaven." 

1. Peter acknowledged Christ as a Divine being. 

2. Being a Jew, this acknowledgment made Christ the 
head of the one universal church. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 249 

3. This truth Potcr learned, not by the literal death of 
Jesus, but by the revelation of the Spirit of (Jod in his heart. 

Here we have found the foundation of the church, against 
which the gates of hell shall not prevail, viz: Tlw cordial and 
full acceptance of Jesus Ch.rist as the Messiah, this fact being 
imbedded in the heart bij thr Sj>irit of God! Every duty in 
the life of man springs from this fundamental trulh. The ac- 
ceptance of this truth breaks down nationality, race, kinshfp, 
color, and language, and unites the human family in one fra- 
ternal brotherhood with Christ as our Elder Brother. Jesus 
had not yet died when this fact was made apparent to Peter. 
If the Spirit of (Jod could reveal it to Peter before Christ's 
death, why could not the same fact be revealed to Abraham? 
And if the acceptance of Christ's divinity before he suli'cred 
made Peter a member of Christ's body — the church — why did 
not the acceptance of the same fact make Al)raham one also'i' 

Paul, writing to the Ephesians, calls the church a family. 
"And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mys- 
tery, which, from the beginning of the world hath been hid in 
Cxod, who created all things i)y Jesus Christ** "^ For this cause 
1 bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of 
whom the aviiolk family in heaven and earth are named." 

Now, let men cavil all they will about the "'kingdom," 
"•church," and "family" being such vastly diHerent things as 
they appear through the misty metaphysical glasses of human 
fancy, (me thing remains: 2he onlij legitimate way of getting 
into a famili/ i-^ being born into it. The scriptures declare that 
we arc born of (rod. As this truth isetfected by the Spirit of 
God, it necessarily puts us into a spiritual family. Can we be 
in the family of (rod without being in the Church? One an- 
swers, yes, because the church is not yet organized. Let us 
see. Paul calls the general assembly the church; but you turn 
the very family of CJod out of this genin-al asseml)ly because 
they were not in the visil)lc church after Pentecost. Who au- 



250 GOLDEM GLEANINGS. 



thorized us to do a wholesale business after this fashion? The 
whole family. Then again, the whole farnily. The whole 
faniil}' embraces those in heaven who have died in faith and 
those on earth who are on the way. 

But there is but one family, not families, and if outside 
this, we are outside of the family of God. Then, whose fam- 
ily do we l)elong to? Can we beh)nir to the Bilile church out- 
side of this family? If Ave can, then Paul misrepresents when 
he says ''the whole family,"" for we are bound to tlibik that at 
least part of the church organized at Pentecost belonged to the 
"one family.''' If we cannot belong to the Bible church out- 
side of this "-one family,"''' then wherein lies the ditleriMice be- 
tween the two when reviewed from a biblical standpoint? We 
know families have rules, regulations, organization if you 
please; but these do not constitute the participants meml)ers 
of the family. It is birth, and only that, which is known be- 
fore the law as constituting the seal of heirship. 

In this same chapter where Paul speaks of the one family 
he supplements his argument with this language: ''Unto him 
be glory in the church, by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, 
world without end, Amen." 

1. Christ dwelt in the church. 

2. In all ages! 

?>. Unto Him the church is to give glory. 

Now, if the church did not exist, how could Christ dwell 
in it in all ages? We care very little what commentators say 
about this question, especially when they diametrically opi)()se 
the oracles of God. If they speak not according to the "lively 
oracles" it is because there is no light in them. If they date 
the origin of the church with its visible organization after 
Christ's death, it is because they speak after the manner of 
men and not according to the Holy Scriptures. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 251 



.F EVER MEN should l)o in dead earnest it is when they 
are pU\'jding with their feUow-nien to be reconciled to God. 
"^ The man who would triHe with the awful realities of etcr 
nity i-^ either a fool or a hypocrite. Every atlection and aspir- 
ation of the soul must he strnni;: to its hiijhest tension. Stasre 
atiectation must he iirnored, or rather, we must have somethinc 
hettcu-. Earnestness nuist he real, for the i)eople will soon de- 
tect the false sham of hypocritical tone and manner. P^arnest- 
ness must he inspired by contact with Christ in His work. Fel- 
lowship with the surtering Son of God will awaken such de- 
sires in the heart as will set on tire every latent power, by the 
torch of the Holy Sj)irit, and send forth His ministers as lamps 
that burnetii. Seek to l>e ind)ue(l with the; mind and purpose 
of Him of whom it was said that the zeal of his house hath 
eaten him up. rludgment and zeal may be the twin children 
of reform. 'Pru<' earnestness is not the blind and erratic child 
of fanaticism, but the soi)er pilot at the helm of thought. 
Christ was the })ersoniticati()n of earnestness, but also control- 
led by the highest discretion. The two are not incompatible, 
but wisely ordained, the dual companions in every moral tri- 
umph. 



)LL FEELIN(iS of asperity — if such exist anywhere — 
l(*iTr should be absorlx'd and swallowed up in the united 
'^ tendernes.s of our supreme titi'ection for God and one 
another. Love is stronger than death and will permit no sub- 
stitute. It is the sweetest tlower of l*aradise, the diamond 
point of the spear which emptied the heart of the Son of (iodl 
It covers defects, extinguishes resentments, extols virtues, 
extends help, blesses the weary, softens cruelty, sweetens be- 
reavement, and energizes every thought and act with the vital- 
it}^ of heaven and th(^ power of (Jodl 

Let me insist that every other consideration of life be sub- 
ordinated to the cultivation of this holy and brotherly atlec- 



252 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



tion. Without this our most pretentious works will be but 
(lead and withered leaves; crumpled, l)roken and powdered 
in the grasp of the pierced hand of our coming Judge. 
No kingly contestant of merely mentrd origin and birth can 
ever usurp this throne. This is the realm of the heart. Here, 
Mercy, robed in her tears of pity, assumes the regal vest- 
ments of her reign! Without partiality, without hypocrisy, 
esteeming others better than ourselves; with lowliness of mind, 
with love for all, and forgiveness for all, let us go forth to con- 
quer under the l)lazing and effulgent light of the Ht)l3' Spirit? 
Love was Christ's weapon, let it l)e ours! If we cannot scale 
the mountains at a l)()un(l, we can dig them down and cast 
them into the sea. If it l)e said that this is a slow process 
and liable to produce impatience, let us remember the six thous- 
and years which (lod has already spent in persistent efforts for 
the reclamation of the race and that lie still pleads with unre- 
laxed energy and tenderness. What encouragement in disap- 
pointment and failure; what hope amid the gloomy night of toil; 
what joy springing from the tears of sorrow; if weshould remem- 
ber with grateful adoration and trustful confidence, the work which 
God hath wrought for us. Our lives are short but principles are 
eternal. We will measure eternity — not l)y heart throbs — but 
loving fellowship! The stars will fade and die, but love will 
forever kiss the plains of life. Let us cultivate this plant of 
abounding fruitfulness and deathless tenacity, though surround- 
ed by the burning sands of earthly sterility, for it will soon 
be transplanted to richer fields and fairer climes. There it will 
grow, untouched by the frosts of envy, unimpeded by the 
breath of slander, unmarred by the cruel stabs of jealousy, un- 
trammeled by the smothering incubus of selfishness; but radiant 
with glory, verdant with life, perennial in growth, it will laugh 
at death, and 1)V its heavenly and fragrant sweetness, will per- 
fume the ffai'den of the Lord! Shall we not ""ive this budding 
flower root in the soil of our hearts? The broken crags of the 
Alps sometimes nourish the tiniest flowers. Shall not our 



GOLDKN GLEAA'hVGS. 253 



hearts, thoui^li WroUcn l)y the rude shocks of life, and scarred 
by the liiihtnings of human cruelty, still ixive nourishment to 
this celestial pliuitl Kcniemher it is fed from above. Its root- 
lets touch the great heart of God. If we would love each other 
as brethren, we must rirst love God with the whole heart. Our 
earth-life is graduated and controlled l)y our heavenly Father. 
Fellowship with heaven will make our fellowship here like 
heaven! 



WHA r IS SCRirTURAL SANC^riFICATION? 

[read HEF()I{E the MINISTERAL ASSOCIATION OF THE ILLI- 
NOIS ELDERSHIP AND PUBLISHED HY NOTE OF THE ELDERSHIP.] 

J^Uli SUIiJFCT being guarded by the well chosen limits 
aI vj/ ^^ ^^'^ ll^>ly Scriptures, our detinitions of terms must 
^ necessarily be derived therefrom, and therefore what 
may seem at lirst sight to be arbitrary freedom, will, on closer 
investi'i'ation. appear to be our only recourse, in harmony with 
the prescribed terms of this discussion. Evidently the primary 
meaning of the word sanctify is a setting apai-t to holy uses. 
This position is strengthened by the fact that the word sanc- 
tiian/ means a place set apart. Though this definition is cer- 
tainly and surely the bed-rock of all scriptural investigation of 
this sul)ject, much bewilderment has l)een occasioned by forci- 
bly and arl)itrariiy rejecting the various phases of meaning and 
shades of interpretation springing from this prolific fountain. 
For instance, the Israelites were frequently told to sanctify 
themselven, while in the New Testament, Peter tells us we are 
elect through the sanctification of the Spirit. This is but one 
of a multitude of passages which might be adduced, showing 
that, while the sanctification of the Bible, in its general sco})e, 
signifies a setting apart to God's service, it also includes, es- 
pecially in the New Testament, the conscious witness of the 
divine Spirit in attestation of the consecration being made. 



254 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



This fact is so glaringly apparent that further proof is unnec- 
essary with candid students of the Bible. 

But how far does the setting apart to holy uses extend? 
What does the New Testament teach as the liojit of personal 
consecration? This is the heart and soul of the subject. The 
ultimatum and climax of personal consecration is pithily sum- 
marized l)y Paul when he says, "And the very God of peace 
sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your Avhole spirit and 
soul and body be preserved l)lameless unto the coming of our 
Lord Jesus Christ." Here we learn complete sanctitication to 
mean, 

1. The entire surrender of spirit, soul and body to the 
will of God. 

2. That the state here designated is a blameless one in 
the sight of God. 

o. That this happy exj)erience is wrought in the believer 
by God himself, as the result of the complete personal setting 
apart to his service of the whole spirit, soul and l)ody. 

We indirectly learn another thing from this passage, us- 
ually lost sight of by the extreme wings of the sanctitication 
controversy. The words ''sanctify you wlioJlif^ clearly em- 
phasizes the fact that these Thessalonians were not then fully 
sanctified, and that sanctification may be ^;a>*«^/«/, inasmuch as 
the word icholly in this connection evidently means the ccmi- 
pletion of that already begun. With these facts before us, we 
conclude that sanctitication implies the wresting of the entire 
man from the dominion of sin, and devoting in complete con- 
secration to God all his ransomed powers. This work is effec- 
ted by the mutual, harmonious co-operation of the individual 
with the Holy Spirit. 

Having: found as we believe the crowning consummation of 
this work, we now turn to the analytical consideration of its 
elementary basis. 

First, we inquire. What is sin? Sin is said to be the trans- 
gression of the law. What law? May we not sin without 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 255 



overtly violating the decalogue? Yes, evidently. Sin may 
exist in thought, purpose, desire. The serpent in the garden 
approached Eve with a suggestion which ripened into a physical 
act. Christ aptl}' illustrates this subject in his Sermon on the 
Mount, when he forcibly proved that sin had its lu)nie in the 
luunan heart and tliat this foundation of iniipiity must be 
cleansetl before tlu' life can be pure. Men, therefore, in order 
to be saved must l)e rescued from the dominion of evil. Satan 
is a spirit, and he operates on other spirits to etlect his purpose. 
He uses physical objects only as a means to an end — the spirit- 
ual demoralization of the race. 

This position is also vindicated by the means employed for 
our deliverance. We are taught that sorrow, repentance and 
faith are the necessary mental })rocesses which must precede 
our salvation. These intellectual and spiritual experiences be- 
ijig indicated l)y the Spirit of (iod as being the invariabk" and 
al>s()lutely essential concomitants of salvation, we are forcil)ly 
reminded that they reach backward to a spiritual fountain; that 
the vei'y basis of all thought including purpose, desire, deci- 
sion, and motive, must l)e puritied if the deadly roots of sin are 
to be torn out. In order to repentance conviction is necessary. 
We must see our sin with the eyes of the mind before we can 
rt'pent. Without this intelligent view of sin and its conse- 
([uences there can be no scriptural repentance. There may l)e 
titful spasms of emotion, passionate utterances, extravagant 
demonstrations, but true repentance never. If intelligent ap- 
prehension of personal sin is necessary to personal repentance, 
it follows that knowledge of sin is always the base of human 
reclamation. rnliUe civil law, (iod's law always holds men 
guiltless of its violation if unavoidably ignorant of its claims. 
Knowledge of God's law is the fulcrum used by the Holy Spirit 
to lift our sins into the light of heaven and the condemning 
scrutiny of the soul's vision. There can be l)ut one philosophy 
of salvation for saint and siqner. Knowledge of sin must al- 



256 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



ways be (xod's argument for repentance and faith as well as the 
prehulc to these exercises. In justitication we have: 

1. Knowledge of sin. 

2. Consecration of known powers. 

3. Repentance. 

4. Faith. 

5. Forgiveness of past otienses. 

6. Conscious acceptance with God. 

In justification we consecrate all that we know to be duty, 
and so far it is the beginning of sanctification. If we then 
consecrate all that we can ever know to be obligatory, our 
sanctification would then be complete; but if our knowledge of 
sin must necessarily be but partial and incomplete, our conse- 
cration must unavoidably be so. Our sanctification must 
therefore be but partial in justification, so far as possibilities are 
concerned; but so far as knowledge extends it must always l)e 
entire. In other words, entire sanctification does not preclude 
the possibility of advancement, unless your present knowledge 
of sin and its efiects is so complete that nothing can l)e added 
thereto; but if this knowledge be impossible, then progression 
in the range of sanctification must always be possible. Sancti- 
fication is therefore not the same as justification, liecause while 
justification acquits us of past offenses and by its consecration 
implants a new life in the heart; sanctification carries forward 
the work by appropriating newly discovered powers to the life 
begotten by the Holy Spirit. In confirmation of this position, 
Paul uses the following emphatic language in II Timothy: "If 
a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel 
unto honor sanctified and meet for the Master's use and [)re- 
pared unto every gootl work.*" 

By noticing the connections of this passage we will see that 
the laniruajre refers to those who have "named the name of 
Christ;" consequently they are not impenitent sinners, but per- 
sons in the "great house*' of God's kingdom. Here we learn: 

1. That justified persons are to purge themselves. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 257 



2. TIkiI tliis piir^iiii; or saiutifvinii' prorrss would inalu- 
tlioin vessels 1111(0 honor. 

8. That they wotiM then In- inoel — or suitubU; — for the 
Muster's use. 

4. That this would prepare them tor every good work. 

5. That these pjrsoiis after hjing purged arc said to he 
sanctified. 

The cliiirL-h at TiiL'-^-i.ilouiiM wis iv'giriUMJ as a model 
chureh in many things. Speaking to these hrethnni, Paul 
uses this <'ommendatory language: "•We give thanks to God 
always for you all, making mention of you in our [)rayers; re- 
membering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of 
love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the 
sight of (lod and our Father/'' Analyzing this passage we 
tind: 

1. 'I'hat this church was noted for its work of faith. 

2. For its labor of lov(^ 

3. For its patience of lioj)e. 

4. 'I'hal it had all thes(^ graces in our Lord flesus Christ. 
."). That this blessed state was not only visible to men, 

but that this was the character the church bore "in the sight 
of God and our Father. "' 

After all his commendatory allusions to the church at 
Thessalonica, Paul uses this striking language: ^'Niglit and day, 
prating exceedingly that we might see your face and might 
perfect that which is lacking in Nour faith." Though this 
model church had so many commendal)le traits, yet they were 
lacking in something which the Apostle purposed to perfect. 
Again he says, ''For this is the will of (iod, even your sanctiti- 
cation." It does seem that no candid man can douitt tint Paul 
here speaks of an expeiience which (his church did not at that 
time fully enjoy. Immediately following the passage already 
(pioted, wherein the Apostle asks (Jod to sanctify the Thessa- 
lojiians wholly, he uses this decisive language, "'l^'aithful is 
He that calleth you, who also will do it." ^\'ill do wliat^ ^^ I'y? 
17 



258 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



evidently sanctify them wholly if language has any meaning. 
Mark the "will" in this passage makes it positively certain that 
the prospective experience herein noted was yet in the future. 
We have quoted these Scriptures not to show what sancti- 
fication is, but to make the position im[)regnable, that sanctifi- 
cation, whatever it is, dilfers from justitication, and tliat men 
do not always receive it in its completeness when justitied. 
These Scriptures also make it clear that these terms are not in- 
terchangeable, but that each has a spccitic province into which 
the other cannot enter without creating confused ideas of Chris- 
tian experience. Scripturally speaking, the words "perfect," 
"perfection" and "perfectness" have sul)stantially the same 
meaning as sanctitication. They may mean perfection in an 
absolute sense, and they may mean it in a qualitied or a modi- 
fied sense. In other words, perfection, like sanctification, may 
be partial orcom^)lete. This is where critics have signally failed. 
They measure the "perfection" spoken of in the Bible by the 
dictionary instead of using the graduating lens employed by 
the Holy Spirit. In I Kings xv, 14, we read, "But the high 
places were not removed; nevertheless Asa's heart was perfect 
with the Lord all his days." The "high places" sjioken of 
were the groves where idol worship flourished, and though the 
king allowed these sinks of iniquity to remain, yet he is said to 
be perfect. Evidently that perfection was limited. In II Chron. 
xvi, we learn that because Hanani, the prophet of God, con- 
demned the sin of Asa, the king in a rage cast the seer into 
prison. Turning to Genesis vi. 'J, we find that Noah was a just 
man and perfect in his generation, and that he walked with 
God. Yet this same Noah became drunken, so that we are 
bound to confess that his perfection was but limited. In Phil, 
iii. 12, Paul says, "Not as though I had already attained, either 
were already perfect; but I follow after, if that 1 may appre- 
hend that for which also I am apprehended of Jesus Christ." 
Here Paul says he is not already perfect; evidently in the abso- 
lute sense; for in the fifteenth verse of this same chapter he 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 259 

says, "Let us. llioicforo, as inuny as iiiay be })(>rfcct be thus 
niindeil." In one verse he says he is not peife(;t, while in an- 
other ho says he is peifcet; therefore the word must have a 
limited biblical application. lint there is also a higher perfec- 
tion spoken of in the liible. This perfection, just like complete 
sanctitication, is constantly held up I)efore the mind as the cov- 
eted goal and glorious object of tin' Christian's hope. 

As dcscri})tive of the state to l>e sought, we turn to Kph. 
iv. 18, which reads, ''Till we all come in the unity of the faith, 
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, 
unto the measur(> of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Here 
we learn; 

1. That the l^)hesian brethren had not jet -'come'' to it, 
but were ''coming." 

2. That the state sought implied more knowledge of the 
Son of God. 

3. That this state meant a perfect man. 

4. That tilt; measure to l)e applied in the state sought is 
the stature of Christ in its fullness. 

In Mat. V. 48, Jesus says, "lie ye therefore [)erfect, even 
as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.'" Here we learn 
that the clima.x of the Christian life must t)e in harmony with 
God; that as he is perfect in an intinile realm of superlative 
qualities, so man can, by divine grace, i)erfectly a(la})t his tinite 
powers to the divine pleasure. If this is not a possibility we 
charge Jesus Christ with ignorance of man's capacity, and thus 
deny his divinit}'; or we charge him with mocking our helpless- 
ness I)y holding out to us an unattainable state. Either of 
these thoughts .seems too detestal>lc to In; cherished for a mo- 
ment by any devout mind. 

Speaking of a certain brother, Paul says, "Kpaphras, who 
is one of .you, a servant of Christ, salutcth you always, labor- 
ing fervently for you in prayers that ye may stand perfect and 
completein all tin; willof (iod." If the})erfection here designated 
is unattainable, Kpaphras prayed for an imaginary myth; and Paul 



260 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



charges hiin with doing exactly what unbelievers now charge 
Christians with doing, when they seek to become "perfect and 
complete in all the will of God." The word holiness, like per- 
fection and sanctitication, admits of degrees; but all these terms, 
when applied to God's people, have the prospective quality of 
looking forward to the entire and complete. In II Cor. vii. 1, 
we learn that we should cleanse ourselves from all tilthiness of 
the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of (iod. 
Even holiness can then be perfected. This proves that in a 
Bil)le sense the term is sometimes used in a limited way. In 
Luke vi. 40, Christ says, '•'■The disciple is not above his Master; 
but everyone that is perfect shall be as his Master." Here we 
have the verdict of Jesus that the disciple may be as his Mas- 
ter, and inasmuch as he was without sin, how can any disciple 
say he is as his Master while living in the indulgence of sin? 
In Heb. vi. 1, Paul says, /'Therefore leaving the principles of 
the doctrine of Ciirist, let us go on unto perfection; not laying 
again the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith 
toward God." 

1. The Hebrews were commanded to Jeai'c the principles 
or rudiments of their experience. 

2. They were to go on unto perfection. 

3. Evidently the perfection to be sought had not been 
found in their justirication, or how could they ''go on" unto it? 

This same idea of seeking a sanctitication, perfectii)n or 
holiness as yet unattained is taught under various tigures. We 
are said to be changed from glory to glory by the Spirit of the 
Lord. We are told to grow in grace, and many other tigures 
are employed to indicate tlie one general idea of development. 
How is this advancement in the spiritual conflict ettected? That 
it is taught, and to be sought, are facts admitted by every Bi- 
ble reader whose judgment is of any value whatever. Here 
we take issue with both of the extreme wings of Christian 
thought. That the Christian must necessarily live in sin; that 
there can be nothing better for him in this world, is a heresy so 



i 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 201 



l)lack and iniquitous, se detestable to every sentiment of pro- 
priety, so unscri[)tural in its underlying foundations, so dis- 
honorable to Christ, so obnoxious to the Holy Si)irit, that we 
are ania/.ed that any thinking man could for one nioniont en- 
tertain the poisonous fallacy. On the other hand, the sanctili- 
eation, perfection, oi holiness which precludes the })ossibility 
of further advancement, interposes a l)arrier to Christian pro- 
gress which is entirely unscriptural, and contrary to the intui- 
tive pronii)tings of the human heart. IIow then do we grow? 

1. By specific knowledge of sin. 

2. Sorrow for that sin. 

3. Renunciation. 

'Phis l)rings us to hitheito vmused or dwarfed powers, 
which are consecrated to (iod and his, service; and faith is so ex- 
ercised that Christ accepts the offering, and the Holy S}>ii"it 
consciously and specitically transmits to the heart the witness 
of divine acceptance. In other words, the steps of progression 
after justification must necessarily be as clear and distinct as 
justification ifs»>lf. This is evident from the following consid- 
erations: 

1. A knowledgement of internal impurity must precede 
intelligent pra3'er for deliverance. 

2. Repentance for specific weakness is the only wa}' in 
which their cure can be effected. 

?>. Faith in Christ for a distinctive object is always nec- 
essary to l)ring his ans>ver. 

4. Definite; witness from God is a necessity to insure our 
personal comfort on the subject in question. 

5. We could not praise Christ for doing a thing we have 
no definite knowledge of. W'c s<'<\ then. that, philosophically 
speaking, the erron<>ous notion that growth is allectcd imper- 
ceptibly to us is no more admissible than that jusfiHcation takes 
place without our knowledge. These steps of progression are 
entirely dependent on our knowledge of personal we«knesses; 
and whenever (iod reveals to us hitherto unknown imperfec- 



262 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



tions it is his Spirit's monition to repent and renonnce; and 
while the revelation of these imperfections is within the range 
of possibilities we have not yet attained the climax of Christian 
sanctitication. 

It may he entire, however, in one sense, because the sweep 
of our knowledge is limited and circumscribed, and our faith 
may reach the utmost limit of that, saving us entirely, from 
the consideration that knowledge precedes guilt. But there 
may yet be depths and obscurities in the sul)tle mysteries of 
sin which the plummet of our consciousness has never sounded. 
When justified we may bo extremely happy, l)ccause our faith 
covers all our knowledge of sin. Usually at this time our 
knowledge of sin is confined to the overt act, the breaking of 
some legal statute; and we wholly fail to understand the bitter 
roots which give sustenance and vitalit}' to the sinful life. 
These may appear afterwards in the shape of desire for fame, 
jealousy of others, fear of death, love of praise, malicious in. 
tent, selfishness, or defiling habits, with a brood of other possi- 
ble intruders, the discovery of which gives pain to the heart of 
the possessor. What is to be done with these sinful afiections? 
Surely we cannot retain them and maintain respect for our- 
selves or the spirituality of God's law. We have no power of 
our own to renounce them, and we must bring them to the 
sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit and cleansing l)lood, if we 
are to part company. Many who cherish these roots of sin are 
wholly ignorant of that fact, because their perceptions of their 
moral relations toward God and man are clouded by prejudice, 
ambition and obstinacy. We must learn that the truth we 
may know and yet refuse to accept may become a millstone 
about the soul in the day when all secrets shall be revealed by 
Jesus Christ. 

How often Christian men get under conviction on the sub- 
ject of drinking wine and using tobacco, and after they alian- 
don these practices they wonder how they could ever reconcile 
these things with the Christian profession. Of all stalwart rad. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 265 



icals, these arc the princes of fanaticism. Why? Bo- 
cansc they occupy a new position. They have moved on and 
up and k>ft their tobacco in the valley of dry hones, amid the 
smell and contagion of death! Their perce{)tions of sin are 
much clearer than formerly; their convictions are much more 
acute; the altitude from which they take their ol)servations is 
much higher; where, like a wise general, they can see the move- 
ment of every column, meet every (mset of the enemy and have 
the sunlight of favor and the soft touch of heavenly breezes. 
Why do others use tobacco without any compunctions what- 
ever? Because the}- do not look at sin through the microscope 
of God's word, but through the smoked glass of bodily appe- 
tites! • 

From these scriptural soundings we conclude that sanctifi- 
cation is always progressive, as to the grasp of its don^ain, but 
instantaneous as to its present witnessing power. Also, that 
it may be complete so far as human insight can detect, but 
looked at from the Godward side no being but Deity himself 
can ever be absolutely complete. We are said to l)e complete in 
him who is the head of all principality and power. And so we 
are. But we must not forget that this comjileteness is in a rel- 
ative sense; that through the eyes of the divine law given for 
human observance and suited to human frailty, we are, through 
the atonement of Christ, regarded as complete. We speak of 
this completeness, sanctitication, holiness and perfection with 
perfect freedom because the Scriptures so speak of it, w'cll 
aware that no more and ceitainly no less can be meant than en- 
tire conformity to the divine will so far as it is possible for us 
to apprehend that will. 

Here, however, we fear many will be wanting in the great 
day. Thousands are content to rest their case in outward cer- 
emonies; or they are stui)idly satisfied with their initial step 
into the alphal)et of Christianity, testily, and even angrily re- 
fusing to seek a higher life, vainly imagining that God has 
poured all the treasures of his redeeming love into the narrow 



204 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



limits of their first step, circumscribed and hedged ahout h}^ 
their own vanity. Whether God Avill hold him guiltless who 
glories in his willful ignorance is a question which the great 
assize must determine. We cannot avoid the conclusion, how- 
ever, that the very genius of true discipleship is the exercise of 
a meek, teachable and childlike spirit; and that the wilful clos- 
ing of the heart and mind against truths never sought or ex- 
perienced, is the very opposite of that principle which proves 
all things and holds fast to that wliich is good. In this case 
there is but one line of proof and that is experience; and when 
we ignore that we abandon the proof to a mind already pre- 
judged, and in the very nature of the case entirely disqualified 
to render an impartial decision. 

Sanctification is taught by three unanswerable facts, viz: 
human desire, the word of the Lord, and scriptural examples. 

1. Human desire. 

We desire holiness. However men maj^ difi'er in their 
theoretical processes the fact remains that Ood has implanted 
within us an al)sorbing desire to be fully conformed to the di- 
vine will. AVhether we aver that this is completed in justifica- 
tion, or that after advancement is possible and advisable, the 
truth under consideration is the same — we desire to please God 
by doing his will. Thousands of men and women, those whose 
justification none could question, iiave been dissatisfied with 
their experience, and being moved by these internal impulses 
have sought the cleansing blood with a fuller, deeper consecra- 
tion of life. Whether they have succeeded in obtaining a 
deeper experience is not now the question. 

Will God inspire us to do what he has made no provision 
to satisfy^ Will it be said that God does not inspire us to 
seek humbly and contritely a higher Christian life? Such a 
charge might render us guilty of blasphemy. We would bet- 
ter walk softly in this temple of God. Does God create the 
brain with powers of thought, and yet give us nothing to think 
about^ Does he give the eyes to see with and provide no ob- 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 265 



jects to hohold^ Does he create tlie feet to walk and then tie 
us down to one spot? Does he create the fishes' fins and pro- 
v'kU^ no water? Doi^s he make the bird's winfj and no atmos- 
phere!' Tliese wouKl not be i^reater miscak'nlations on the 
part of nature's architect than the implantation of heavenly de- 
sires in the human heart which he makes no ])rovisions to meet. 
There is an infinite fullness in our Lord ,Iesus Christ. The hem 
of his ijarment is hut the beoinnini; of jiowor. Three years of 
personal ministry are l)ut the seed-iied of th.-it richer Pente- 
costal harvest, and whv should we doul)! that the abounding 
treasures of divine grace then poured out, are still |)lenteous 
and full, restrained only by our menirre faith and feel)le, sickly 
search? 

2. Thr Word of the Lord. 

AVe have shown that under a ijreat m;inv figures, (iod has 
taught us to seek holiness, perfect i(m and sanctification. A^^)r(ls 
are nothing here. The principle is clearly and explicitly 
taught. To waste time in (juil>bling. hair-splitting definitions 
of words is so contemjitiblc to an honest man that he never in- 
<lulges in the frivolous pastime. \\'c w:int the meaning of the 
Holy Sj)irit. We want to stand like th(> woman of Samaria, 
with awe and trend)linf!:, waiting: for the words of life from the 
Great Teacher. God tells us to leave W\(i firs^t principles; to go 
on unto perfection, perfecting holiness in the fear of God; to 
grow in grace, and to follow peace with \\\\ men, and holiness, 
•without which no man shall see the Lord. With man\' other 
words does God testify the necessity and possibility of growth. 
To deny this is to discard the j)lain and unmistakable declara- 
tions of the Holy Scriptures. Men do not usually do this ex- 
cept in a vague, evasive manner, which in reality amounts to a 
flat contradiction. It is said by many that growth is necessary, 
but they have not even a theory by which the conditions of 
growth are either specified or apprehended. \\\\\\ them growth 
is an imperceptible something, developed from an imperceptible 



266 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



nothing, recognizable as a shadowy, mystical mirage^ painted 
uncertainly against a shifting background of hazy doubtfulness. 
When we remember that every step taken in Christian exper- 
ience is taken through the direct influence of the Holy Spirit 
and the application of the atoning l)l()od, we wonder how any 
logical mind can be satisfied with an experience which is nei- 
ther rational, scriptural, perceptil)le, nor honoring to Christ. 
It cannot be rational, because intelligence revolts ao^ainst a 
structure without a foundation; it cannot be scriptural, because 
Christ always communica'.ed the fact of his forgiveness to those 
seeking it; it cannot be perceptible, and therefore not real, 
since Christian joy rests on solid realities; it cannot honor 
Christ, because, if unknown, no praise can be rendered him 
for that which is an inexperienced fact. Would God tell us to 
seek what he knew Avas nn impossible thing^ ^aji verily! The 
command of the infinitely wise one is the vindication of its pos- 
sible realization. 

3. SGi'iptural examplei<. 

Those who would disparage the <iuality of a load of fruit 
are always looking for tainted apples. D()ul)ters always doubt 
in circles. Christian professors are not always safe from these 
eddies. To doubt the experience of those who have lived very 
near the bleeding Lamb when nothing in their lives contradicts 
the statement, may be as great a sin in the sight of God as to 
doubt revelation, since revelation and Christian experience 
are both the products of tbe Holy Spirit. Doubters taunt the 
advocates of a higher Christian life with the sweeping charge 
that it is a modern invention, just as though the world can be 
made believe such a palpable falsehood. The scriptural exam- 
ples, easily obtained, ought to silence that o))jection forever. 
Enoch walked with God. His translation was simply a trans- 
fer from the light of earth to the light of heaven. He also 
had the testimony that he pleased God. His high experience 
was then known, and very probably expressed; and yet he was 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 267 



never ehai-^ed with hoMstinsj. Samuel was true to his God from 
youth, and his sun of life sets without a shadow. He was a 
perfect man in biblical nomeclature. Daniel went through the 
most exquisite temptations of an eventful court life without a 
stain. Joseph's tremendous popularity was the seal of his in- 
tegrity. Job was a perfect man in the language of (iod, and 
his claim to this distinction is abundantly verilied by the terri- 
l)le ordeal through which he passed unscathed. In the New 
Testament, we have John, Stephen, Paul, l>ai'nal)as and others, 
who lived and died in the Christian faith without a visible 
defect. We do not say that even these Uicn were Ix'yond 
the possibility of improvement; l)ut so far as we know 
they were, and it is with this knowledge that we now have to 
do. Let us set up these banners of our (lod. With unsullied 
brightness they stream out from the mountain heiglits of purity, 
waving the beacons of triumph above the roaring elements 
and l>eckoning us look up to the everlasting hills whence our 
strength cometh. Shall we pick up the cripples by the way as 
the models we shall ennilate^ Like the soft adulators of By- 
ron, shall we copy the lameness of a defective gait in order to 
be in company with a scri[)tural character who drank to ex- 
cess, or one that committed adultery^ It is not purity that we 
f(^ar, but sin! The state of the church everywhere proves that 
unless there is a deeper consecration, actual striving after holi- 
ness, entire dependence on Christ, and less on form, a childlike 
desire to know the truth and practice it, there is inmiinent 
danger of the church becoming entirely paralyzed by the inter- 
nal corruptions which festoon its very heart. Instead of fear- 
ing sanctification as a deadly thing, let us sincerely ask (lod to 
reveal to us our true state b}- the Holy Spirit. Oh. may we 
all come nearer the cleansinfj fountain. The ''well done" of 
Christ will l)e the result of righteousness, and not the outgrowth 
of sin. 

In conclusion, we denominate scriptural sanctitication to 
be the highest state of grace possible, with the knowledge we 



268 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



can have of sin and God; that this state has no certain immuni- 
ty from temptation; that it means we take heed lest we fall; 
that we esteem others better than ourselves; and we crown 
Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior with all the glory — abso- 
lutely all the glory of our salvation from sin. 



ONAH PAID his fare to Tarshish. A Inudable thing to 
5/IJl- do. Some people backslide now without being so hon- 
^^-^•' est. They pretend to be shipping for the New Jerusa- 
lem, whereas they know, they are going to Tarshish. Like 
Jonah, they sleep until a storm wakes them up. They will be 
fortunate indeed if they nre not swallowed before they see Tar- 
shish. Their only hope of escape is to be foun<l in the ficarclty 
offish,' there vnll certainly not he enough to go around! 



TO OUR UNKNOWN DEAD. 

[May 16tli, 1891, the author met Elder C. L. Wilson at 
the depot in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, when he said, "Brother New- 
comer, Decoration Day is almost here and in our Grand Arni}^ 
Posts we always remember 'our unknown dead."' Why not 
write one more poem for yoiu- forthcoming book, taking 'Onr 
Unknown Dead' as a subject?'"' Promising him to do what I 
could, the following poem came into being. Feeling that he 
should have the credit of suggesting the poem, we gladly and 
cheerfully connect his name with its production.] 

A Mother's roll-call grates the drowsy ear. 

Familiar, by its oft repeated thrill, — 
And John, and Jim, and Tom responding, "Here!" 

Awake to greet the light on vale and hill; 
They know the, voice and all the gamut run 

Since mother-notes first chas'd their infant smiles 
Across their dimjjles, like the light of sun. 

When burnishM wavelets dance round living isles. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 209 



riioiiiih uriiiklo^ tliicki'ii round the loving eyes 

And till' old hands seem tired with their cure, 
The voice is Mother's, ohi how iangunge cries, 

To tind a tongue, to speak its message rare, 
lUit Age and Beauty wedded in tliat faci' 

Becomes a mirror for the boyish heart. 
To svarm its life-blood, and si'renely trace 

Till' pictured soul, uiiloufird by magic art. 

Another roll call and the l>oys are gone. 

The Country needed them, the captain said. 
The tiag was trailM and rudely tired on, 

The tlag for which our fathers' fought and bled; 
Now in the "awkward s(|uad," they seek to learn 

The art of war, and martial glory win, 
While patriotic tires Hash and burn. 

Consuming native cowardice within. 

'J'liey lii^ar a niotlier''s accents now no more. 

But liugle blast and rolling drums are heard. 
Confusing noises blend in din and roar 

To calm the hearts, by thoughts of })ity stirr'd. 
How oft by camp tire light they talk of home 

And wonder if dear mother calls them still, — 
And chairs are set, expecting them to come, 

Oh (iod! what blasted hopes we never till! 

The storms of battle, red with carn;ige, sweep 

Across the hills like lava waves of hell, 
And tlowers dasliM with blood, in sorrow weep 

Among the dead where brothers fought and fell. 
The sun looks down upon the dreadful scene 

^^'i(ll anger glaring from his redden'd face, 
AshamM to shine upon the tragic spleen 

Which blots the glory of the human race. 



270 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



The morning dawns upon the gory field 

And shatterM ranks responding to the roll, 
With hungry eyes and l)hinching faces yield 

To choking sol)s, too big for mute control! 
Jim answers not! his tongue is stiff and cold, 

And cheerful Tom, with eyes astare and set, 
Clasps John's cold pulseless hand, once strong and bold, 

The youngest of the three, and Mother's pet! 

They answer not to roll-call here below, 

But furloughs granted, they have gone to see 
Their friends l^eyond the lines, eager to show 

That ghastly deatli is l)ut Life's boundary. 
A Mother's voice now climbs the golden stair 

In search of brood with tired and fledging wing, 
Assur'd that all her treasures must be there 

Where God can make our broken harp-strings sing! 

With breaking hearts the living comrades come 

To gather up the brave heroic dead. 
This ministry of love is smitten dumb 

Amidst the silence and the whisper'd dread. 
Each grave is marked 'oy board or hewn stone, 

The index to some heart now far away — 
On some is written the dark word, "Unknown," 

The blank eternity of Death's array! 

Somehow our Jim, and John, and Tom went down 

Into the jaws of this dark unknown niglit — ■ 
No human hands to place the regal crown 

Where it belongs, in blazing beams of light. 
Above their ashes flowers bloom and fade 

And tangled grasses mat the hillocks o'er, 
Their names enshrin'd, by Nature's God display'd, 

Grace heaven's roster, though on earth no more. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 271 



With faces toward the foe they bravely stood, 

They ask'd not honor or a gikled fame, 
They only sought their country's greatest good 

And died to lose their own in her great name! 
Like nimani'd stars they crown the face of night, 

Unknown to men Init marshalM by their Lord, 
They live to shine — the lustrous sons of light — 

^Vhere ev'ry act is known by its reward. 

The mother's roll-call thrilling heavens' blue, 

Will some day reach her long lost boys again, 
And sparkling eyes will read the lesson true. 

Now hidden from the call of voice or])en; 
Then unknown graves will yield their precious fruit, 

Then grateful tears will melt the chains of time, 
.Vnd hopes long lost in agonized pursuit 

Will till the measure of life's broken rhyme. 

From ev'ry battle field and the great sea, 

Our unknown dead will come for last review, 
Their bondage l)roken b)' God's liberty — 

The psalm of life will then begin anew! 
Till then, we give their dust to heaven's care 

Knowing that He who notes the si)arr()w''s fall. 
Will till the blanks end)alnrd in nature's prayer — 

And weld creation's links with IVIercv's call! 



HE MAN who thinks more of his party than of his coun- 
try is either a fool or a knave! If this proposition is 
true the lunatic asylums of this country must certainly 
be greatly increased in number, and the penitentiaries will 
have to be<juadru})led, or society will be unnecessarily exposed 
to the ravages of the rapidly increasing criminal class! 



272 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



(6)T^HE MAN who prays, Thy Kingdom Come, and then 
■^1 fr/- votes with the devil's (h-ill sergeants — the sak)on keep- 
•^ ers — will likely keep his politieal boodle friends close 
compan}'^ all the way through! 

"I'd rather he dumh, 
And always tnuiu., 
Than pray like some, 
Thy kingdom come — 
Then vote for rum!''' 



CKY8TALLINK drop of water drops from a leaf into 
iSSlf f>^ t-lear, rushing rivulet on the mountain side, and leap- 
>^^ ing from cascade to rapids, goes seething down the 
mountain and on down the undulating slope toward the sea. 
Murky, muddy streams join the singing rivulet, and com- 
mingling with it, change and transform the crystal drop into 
a mass of opaque tilth. The angry torrent sweeps on until 
levees ar(^ broken, farms are desolated, cities are submerged, 
and hundreds are swept into eternity. Tell me; had that clear 
drop of water anything to do with the catastrophe? Interro- 
gate that drop of clear wati^r and it will say, "I am pure, un- 
contaminated, and perfectly harmless." It is, until the 
streams of tilth control it, and then it becomes as swift an agent 
of destruction as the worst drop in the torrent. Vote your 
ticket with the purest motives possible; with the best prohibi- 
tion principles 'ni ijour heai't, if you please, yet, if you place 
your ballot where the saloon element in politics will control it 
in the interest of the liquor trattic, your vote will count just the 
same as the vote of the worst saloon keeper, and will be just 
as much against home, God and country! 




GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 273 



MOTHER a«kt'(l her little hoy whether he thonizhl he 
was ready to meet Jesus at his coming. The boy an- 
swered with (luaint naturalness, "Yes, mamma, for I 
have on my Sandaij Clot/its^ 

Ills idea of prcpari'dness consisted in external appearan- 
ces. How many without the juvenile simplictiy and boyish 
frankness of this child are really acting \\\wn some such motive. 
The farmer has Sunday-clothes for his measures when selling 
in certain quarters, where he knows he is watched, or where he 
desires to leave the impression he is a better man than he is. 
But even Suutlay-clothes nriy be torn, and pretended sanctity, 
like all shoddy, will not wear. The shopkeeper sometimes 
brings out a Sunday suit, and with smirking obsequiousness 
asks you to admire the garment which sets so admirably on 
his prepossessing person. The rents in his past life are con- 
spicuously covered by his Sunday-clothes. You look at the 
garb of flattering pretentions and quickly conclude there must 
be a good man under t/iat. The !)ackslider has Sunday -clothes, 
manufactured to order. He did not see the black hand that 
stitched them together, l)ut they look well. He could not be 

persuaded to wear a suit like neiglibor A , covered with 

patches, soiled with mud; his is a fancy suit. He reads the 
Hil)le, goes to church, is consit^tent, and never was a hypo- 
crite. Sunday-clothes! What a hideous bird under tine 
feathers. The moralist, dressed up with the ten command- 
ments, asks the tailors of Christendom to examine his Sunday 
suit. It tits him well, for a man detenniiied to l)e his own 
tailor is always meekly oblivious to the amount of goods re- 
(|uired. He never consults taste or models. The snip of the 
scissors is heard constantly. Here it is too full, and tlicrc a 
little scant, but assiduous care; and work are l)ringing it to the 
fairest proportions. Why go to Calvary for the crimson cloth 
of pardon, when the l)olts of Sinai can be so easily twisted in- 
to the garb of hopefulness and comfort^ The hypocrite has a 
Sunday suit for special occasions. He keeps it scrupulously 

18 



274 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



clean. He looks like ii gentleman of princely pretentions 
when walking out for a holiday airing. It is true, the texture 
of his garb is very thin, and will not hear close inspection, but 
at a distance it looks well. The worldly professor has a suit 
which he always carefully pats away at the close of the week, 
and then brings out his Sunday-clothes. He goes to church, 
looking as harmless as Roman candles. The minister carefully 
brushes his suit and the dust tiies, but our professor does not 
see for his eyes are shut, lest his attention should be attracted 
by the vanities of this world. He is not easily disturbed. He 
is meditating how he can make a profitable trade the coming 
week. Sunday night he carefully packs his clothes, glad that 
one day in seven has been specially set apart for the display of 
Sunday clothes. How many imagine that these titful moods 
of spasmodic piety prepare their souls with the wedding gar- 
ment, in which they can stand acquitted at the marriage supper 
of the Lamb! These short-lived flowers which bloom from the 
horrible pit of human depravity, will wither and die when the 
blasting hurricane of God's justice will fall, while the garb of 
more modest pretensions will pass the ordeal without the smell 
of tire remaining. 




ct^^^ANY PREACHERS regard length of sermons as the 
desideratum. A sermon two or three hours long is 
a wonderful exhil)tion of mental power. They look 
Avith holy contempt on those whose who preach short sermons; 
for with them brevity is a mark of weakness, and conciseness 
an evidence of inferiority. No greater mistake can l>e made. 
When these novices learn better they will be surprised at their 
own dullness of perception. Few men can hold an audience 
with profit more than one hour. Even this, as the exception 
as to men, cannot be done regularly. Men of strong minds 
have tried it and failed. Instead of length being an evidence 
of power, it is quite frequently the very reverse. It is the 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 275 



mark of shallow thought. It i(M|uires calibre to concentrate; 
l>ut the veriest inedioerity ean spread out. A few thouglits 
well discussed and saturated with the pith of i)ractical illustra- 
tion will leave the hearer in a thoughtful, investigating mood, 
while a long, prosy string of sentences will leave him careless 
or asleep. 

The art of being pithy, epigrammatic and practical ought 
to l)e sought by our young men. If they allow their ser- 
mons to run to words without common sense, congregations 
will melt away like the morning dew. Our strongest thinkers 
are those who regard brevity as the soul of wit. Compression 
gives power to steam and so of thought. A thought struggling 
for publicity is worth a dozen that are free as the birds which 
tly. Men who attempt to tell all they know in a single sermon 
present the pitable exhibition of a vacuum without anything to 
till it. AVhen the reservoir is once empty the sup})ly pipes are 
all clogged with the dreggy sediment of hackneyed investiga- 
tion. The rays of the sun become hotter as they are concen- 
trated. The winds gather momentum by concentration. Pith 
is the gist of power. Speech without it is simply noise turned 
loose. The gnarled oak rei)resents the strength (.f years, l»ut 
the Habby fast-growers, like Jonah's gourd, mature in a night; 
but they wilt. The hardy fibre of strength is the tesult of con- 
centration, but tlu! watery [>ulp of weakness is formed by dif- 
fusion. Thoughts worthy of preservation are like gems, not 
fountl in the tields with comnion pel)bles, i>ut dug with toil 
from the mines of truth. He who goes deepest will be most 
particular. The greater the number of diamonds around us 
the more careful we are to assort carefully and cast away the 
worthless. The ignorant urchin will I)e captivated with a bit 
of glass, only because \\(\ has no ideas of higher values. When 
he becomes surrounded by pearls he will trample his youthful 
playthings beneath his feet. The successful husbandman must 
know how to trim. Wood is not fruit. IndeiMl, too much 
wood ]n'events a healthy croj). lOven the fruit when hidden by 



276 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



thick foliage becomes sour and uninviting. Thonglits liuried 
in boml)astic verbiage become stale and useless. They must 
hang in luscious clusters in the sunlight of heaven. Kissed bj'^ 
the rays of light they invite the hungry and weary. Shooting 
stars are the only ones that rejoice in the freedom of unknown 
space. They travel extensively, but unprolitably. The marks 
they leave are soon blotted out in darker night. The congre- 
gations that gather around the promises of verbosity will take 
the wings of the morning when the sun appears. 

The concentration of great energies will produce great re- 
sults. Preaching is designed to save men; not to stupefy 
them. L^tig sermons are generally designed to show the 
preacher instead of his master. When men study how to be 
effective in the salvation of their fellows, they will study how 
best to refine the gold of their discourses. The net of vanit}'^ 
is knit from the threads of weakness; and when it encloses the 
tishes sought, will rend at the slightest jar. Truth supplies 
the world with the pabulum of life; and words are but the 
husks which contain the kernels. Let us take care that we 
have not all husk. 



'^^ OUR THINGS have their uses. Nature sometimes pro- 
i^^ duces them. Even the forms of trees indicate the 
^^^ fruit they bear. The sourest, pungent, vinegar produc- 
ing crabtree, seems to sympathize with the ascetic (juality of 
its leaves, its thorn-like twigs and the rough exterior of its un- 
sha})ely bark. It seems as thougli it has l)een driven together 
and compressed by the hammers of centuries. It is noted for 
toughness and i)erseverance. It carries a })rofuse load of sweet 
scented blossoms, but the fruit is nauseous. It is indigenous 
to the soil, as grafting always destroys its venerable character- 
istics. It is a good yi)petizer, creating a desire for something 
else. 

It flourishes without cultivation, scorning the spade 
and the plow with ;U1 the full-grown ardor of an old res- 



COLDEN GLBANINC^. 27? 



idciil. I( wck'oiiu's fcrtilil y imd slciilily alike, not sccminjjj to 
rccooiiizc tlu' (liircrciicc. It hlooiiis in sum or shade, on hill or 
ill dale. I>tit in the lime of aiitmun fruit gathering it is passed 
I)}' with unifoini and graceful inditlerence. If venturesome and 
in(|uisitive urchins sometimes pass the l)onn(lary of past exper- 
iences and taste the golden tint(^d fruit, the stomach has no oc- 
casion to sympathize with the palate in the outrage inHicttnl. 

Is not tlie fruitful crabtree a complete picture of our sour 
piety! Tenacious, crank}^ and obtruding, sour piety is not the 
fulmination of divine edicts, carefully gathered and concentrated 
and at a given signal launched forth, like the diatribes of Om- 
nipotence cradled in the arms of justice, but it is rather the 
yoke of duty dialing the neck of obligation! It is devotion 
grown to be a burden. Prayers, benevolence, and whatever 
Christian profession tiemands, must pass through this pickle 
and come forth flavored with the astringent and acidulous de- 
t^oetion. 

This ac'id. like that of the crabtree, is indigenous; it is from 
the natural stock, expressed by the pressure of religious <luty. 
True, healthful piety is the result of growth, and not compres- 
sion. A man driven to duty with the lash of obligation, yet 
inwardly murmuring against tlu; price to be paid, is a slave 
not able to hide his chains. He will b(> sour, morose, crabl>ed. 
The sun will have spots, the ero})s will fail, })()litical chicaiuny 
will disrupt the government, fashion will stalk abroad, the 
church will die, the world cannot be converted, universal chaos, 
i)loodslied. murder, rapine and death will hold high carnival 
amid th<> grotes(|ue and fantastic inauguration of the sickly 
dreamer! Many api)areiitly liouest and devoted Christians 
have cheated the world of i\n\ golden fruitage of healthful 
piety, because they have persisted in thrusting into the hands 
of the husbandman the bitter, sour fruits of life poisoned with 
the shadows of despondency and gloom, rather than sh.ake the 
well-ripened fruit fi'om the lop-mosl branches, where it has 



2tS COLbEM GLEANINGS. 



jrathered the sunshine and kissed the storm with the cahii seren- 
ity of faith. 

If we are constantly peering through shadows, we will see 
men as trees walking. Clearly defined outlines will not ap- 
pear. Personal acceptance with God and the fundamental 
truths of revelation will remain among the unsettled problems 
of our spiritual state. Everything will be shadowy and con- 
jectural. When fancy makes the burdens of life bitter, it will 
also daub its brightest pictures with unsanctified mud! Unbe- 
lief is developed in the shade, while faith is made perfect in the 
light. The birds do not put their heads under their wings 
when the sun shoots out his golden lances to unlock the gates 
of the morning! The dirge of life is for the evening time. The 
feathers of the Almighty will cover us when the sun goes down! 

With the sun, the birds, the beasts, the insects, the fishes, 
soundino; the battle charije of life in our ears, it is sinful to 
mope in the rear and chill the roar of conflict with the whin- 
ning cry of despair. God has no use for the bitter apples of 
Sodom, crushed in the wine-fat of despondency, and thrown 
into the commissariat of his army when on the march. Such 
food would send every regiment to the hospital, lloi^e is the 
word! From evej-y hill top the signal flag of faith flaunts the 
magic word to the l)reeze. The signal stations are always 
placed on the highest eminences. Those nearest God will see 
most of the movements of the enemy, but also most of the 
numbers, discipline and leadership of the grand triumphal host! 
Horcb is no place for cowards. It is the outlook of earth on 
the borders of eternity. Every step in spiritual growth sets 
our feet more firml}^ in the rock. Confidence is the instru- 
mental cause of advancement, and also the fruit of progression. 
We should weigh well the forces and movements of the foe, 
but we should know, that the Napoleonic maxim, that success is 
power is pre-eminently true in this contest. Imbued and })erme- 
ated with this glorious battle cry, we shall go to the field with a 
shout and lie down with a prayer. There will be no time or 



OOLDEN GLEANINGS. ^70 



phiec for molancholy l»iH)odinirs over direfnl forebodinixs, called 
forth from the ijlooiny caverns of the sold l)y the hydra visaged 
demons of (K)id)t, to troop and march in l)()asted triumph over 
the dying aspirations of life! Find out what God would havt; 
you do, and do it with the delight of a loyal son, until the day 
of your coronation, when the King shall say, ''Well done!" 



^Wtj^IIEN CHRIST came into the country of the Gorges" 

OnlllrF ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^*' "*®^^ possessed of devils. The dcv 
^^=^^=^ ils prayed Him that if He cast them out that they 
might be permitted to enter a herd of swine feeding near by. 
Christ answered the devils' prayer and the swine were drowned 
in the sea. Then the city came out and requested Him to de 
part out of their coasts. The loss of the hogs brought Jesus a 
congregation. The people did not seem to care a fig for the 
two poor fcHows healed, but the loss of the hogs was more than 
they could stand. Christ was too expensive a reformer. 

A great many people would rather have the devil for com- 
pany than lose their hogs. They would rather have their 
l>oys live among the tombs, (saloons) with the <lcvil, than give 
a few hogs to have Christ redeem them! When it is Clirist or 
the swine, many will still prefer poi'l! 



^j^^HE FAMILY as an institution of God is worthy the 
^1^^ profoundest contemplation and reverential regard. Like 
^ the blue ticld of our national ensign, it seems to have 
been clipped by an angel hand from the illimital)le scroll on 
which are written the immutable laws of the great Judge! As 
the representative of government, it proclaims the recipro- 
cal relations of authority and obedience; as the repository of 
supreme* art'cct ion. it towers to heavenly altitudes; as the con- 
servator of virtue and pul)lic morals, it becomes the greatest 
earthly benefactor of the race. All government must have a 



SSO GOLDEN GLEANINGS, 



supreme head. Whether monarchical or republican, law must 
necessarily culminate at last in an executive administrator, or 
government is lost in anarchy and political chaos. A nation 
torn with dissensions, with a number of claimants as rulers, 
and each claimant surrountlcd by votaries, is virtually no gov- 
ernment at all, but a boisterous"mob. The very name of gov- 
ernment sufjffests a ruler. 

As law has no inherent power of its own. no self-executing 
principle, it is clearly evitlent that as God, the righteous judge, 
stands behind all natural law to execute it, so all human law 
must lead up to a tinal, individual head. Even civil law must 
find its highest exponent in the Chief Justice of the United 
States. 

How beautifull}' God, in the institution of the famil}^ has 
mirrored all the commendable statutes ever instituted anions 
men! No government can exist without involving the funda- 
mental principles clearly indicated in the institution of the fam- 
ily. It may be said that the right to govern in the family is 
arbitrarily conferred. That some parents arc not tit to lead 
their children, inasmuch as they themselves have no respect for 
law, human or divine. This argument has some plausibility, 
but it nuist be remembered that no universal law like this can 
ever be applied Avithout apparent evil effects in isolated cases. 
The same argument would destroy all government. The world 
has been cursed by bad kings, bad presidents, bad judges. 
Shall we discard the office because evil men have disgraced \\1'. 
This would be equivalent to burning your house over your head 
because your neighboi-'s house is a rickety, tumble clown con- 
cern. 

Besides, no man without respect for law, human or divine, 
is tit" to have a family at all. The principle prominent in the 
original design contemplates reverence for God as the pre-emi- 
nent qualification of the head of the family. Because men 
violate this design, and then char2:e home the bad results to 
heavenly arrangements, is no more against the institution itself 



aoLDEN CLKAMWCiS, ^81 



tlum for ti thief in.sulo ])ris()n walls to cliarffc liis ch'tentioii to 
the hiw enforced by jtulgo and jury. 

Again, (iod has so carefnlly guarded the duties and rights 
of parents and children in his wonderfully explicit delineations 
of the social compact that there is absolutely no room whatever 
to play the tyrant or the rebel. \\\\o believes that our divorce 
courts would be clogged with the plethora of domestic brawls 
now tlisgracing them if the participants had been God fearing 
persons? When the golden links of God's law are rudely 
broken men must not wonder if the iron chain of human en- 
actments chafes, rends and wounds. 

To prove any sentiment true, we must exhibit the best ex- 
ample of that sentiment. In other words, the highest develop- 
ment we can tind on any given line of thought is to be taken 
as the representative of its class as furnishing an examr)le to 
others what may be accomplished with proper ell'ort. Look at 
the devoted Christian family? How refreshing to enter it from 
the corroding cares and perplexities of the world. It is an 
oasis in the midst of the desert. Into it the light and warmth 
of heaven descend, and from it holy incense rises toward the 
throne above. Like in the government of God, love and law 
mingl(! togi'thcr. The right of each is accorded gracefully, and 
every wound is healed l)y the kisses of love. The morning 
light comes through the window like the smile of ;ui angel 
caught on the golden winjjs of a sunbeam! The labors of the 
day are divided among the willing hands, and every burden is 
lifted, attended by the mutual and exultant songs of deliver- 
ance. The evening shadows, falling silently as the dews of 
night, wrap their dusky curtains around the glory of the family 
altar. Here parents and children meet to implore the help of 
our Father. Glorious as the Shekinah itself, overshadowing 
the mercy seat, the mystic wings of the cherul)im fall softly 
over the nestling group, and all are safely hidden beneath the 
feathers of the Almighty! When this golden clasp is broken 
l)y earthly separations, how sadly, yet cheerfully, we look for- 



^8^ GOLt>EM GL^ANWd^. 



ward to the reunion l)eyond. Even the grave itself is but the 
narrow ditch which Satan has dug between the members of 
families, and which will be bridged by the smile of eternity 
amid the shouts of welcome and restoration. 




,NGERSOLL annihilates Deity in every lecture. But it is 
strange that a recurrence of this annihilating process is 
" absolutely necessary the next time the festive Robert 
speaks. Possi})ly he acts upon the principle of the boy who 
was beating a dead dog. When interrogated as to why he did it, 
h(* said: "To teach him there is punishment after death!" 
Perhaps Robert wishes to teach the Lord this lesson, and it is 
just possible that the Lord may yet teach Robert something on 
that line. 

„ HAT IS THIS talisman known as luck? Young men 
// _ _ . . 

fj/ dream over it, and hope; maidens wait for it anx- 
iously, and old men wonder whether they must die 
without the sight. Born without parents, subsisting on the 
pabulum of nonsense and strutting about with the airs of a 
giant, luck never gets old or feeble, but is always and invariably 
the same. Beaten in a thousand battles, it never retreats; 
dressed in a thousand uniforms, it is ready for any array; and 
deceiving a thousand times, its modesty is never abashed, but 
is always ready for anything that may turn up. The young 
man places it under his pillow and expects it to turn the feathers 
to gold. He \yakes up to find that such things are plucked 
only from the goose. He walks out under the stars and looks 
at the universe of God. He is sure that there must be a place 
for a man so fearfully and wonderfully made. He thinks of 
his father's money and family, then he is sure he will l>e appre- 
ciated. He smokes fashionable cigars, twirls his cane scientif- 
ically, iinds the friendly box, where the sun shines, reads trashy 
novels, and between these performances he ]ust—inalts! His 
father and mother work hard, but they belong to the old dis- 



GOLDEN GLEAMlMG^. ^8i) 



[)ens;iti()n; he is a child of liickl lie is the lesult of the foit- 
unati' juxtaposition of hicky phmets. (Jod has given him a 
stronor jirni, hut he is goino: to live hv slei<>;ht of hand, and 
luck. Work is uicnial and deffradinjj; l>esides it do(!s not re- 
quire such a high order of genius and wit as throwing the 
cards or dice. Anybody can succeed at work, l)ut it takes 
smartness to become a successful gambler. They all wear 
diamonds, and rings, and gold watches, and such thinojs. 
Luck pays! His boat is launched. The breakers roar, and boil, 
and thunder, but he docs not hear. His mother's whispered 
prayer sometimes steals, like an intruding angel, into his heart, 
only to be choked to death by the grip of the dice, or tlie 
blasphemy of chance. He sit» like a statute, cold and pal©, 
looking into the void of eternity. He watches the ticking 
clock, whose hands mark the passing minutes which are to 
strike the knell of his destiny. Luck is against him, and pen- 
niless, he staggers to his dark home chagrined and maddened at 
the caprice of his god, and recklessly resolves to pursue his 
race to the l>itter end. He Hies to speculation, burglary and 
murder, and has the luck to be brought to the scallbld. Here 
his life is professedly ottered in expiation of a murderer's guilt, 
and yet it is really a libation poured out at the shrine of luck. 
The young man who expects to get his living l)y luck instead 
of squarely earning his daily bread is dishonest at heart, and 
the scatlbld is simply to be found at the other end of the road 
here entered. Thousands are on the road now who, if lucky 
enough to escape the scatlbld, will reverse the laws of moral 
gravitation, and become the target of God's special mercy. 



ARFH^LD! Before this name the future historian will 
V\V(CJ)i)) P'^"^^ with reverence. liorne on the historic shield 
"^^^ covering the nation's heart, or graven deeply in tlu' mon- 
umental marl)lc reared by the world's allcction, this nani(% lik(! 
a ni'w star hung in the Hashing constellation of earthly heroes, 
will lead the nations to honor and ailmire the sublime nobility 



i2g4 (^OLDMN GL^ANim!^, 



of head and heart exemplified in the life of our illustrious 
dead. Stretching from sea to sea, over mountain ranges and 
fertile valleys, throl)I)ing with life below the slimy seaweed, 
rocked and restless with surging ocean tides, the telegraphic 
wires, thrilled and stunned, bear our national grief around the 
globe to every hearthstone where Christianity and civilization 
have left the footprints of their triumphant march. 

Kings and queens on their thrones and the most humble 
laborer feel alike a common bereavement. The highest pinna- 
cle of ambition kisses the lowest vale of poverty in a tearful 
embrace of world-wide agony! The very heart strings of our 
humility seem broken by a single arrow from the (pjiver of the 
kingly archer! The pale horse and his ghastly rider have dash- 
ed the death spray from the dark river over the continents of 
earth. 

Who was this man? Why this universal sorrow? Did 
riches pour its treasures at his feet? Did social distinction lift 
him from the humble walks of life? Was he born a prince 
that royalty weeps at his grave? No! He was born in ob- 
scurity, cradled in poverty, buffeted by {)rivation, so that every 
stej) soundcnl the death knell of ease and indolence. Gifted 
with a rol)ust constitution, a towering intellect and a kind 
heart, he early learned obedience to superiors, adopted temper- 
ate habits, became noted for integrity, :md won the affections 
of all by his manly and brotherlv instincts. With the broad- 
est charity for the failings of mankinil, his ovv^i became so 
glaring in his eyes that he could not rest until they were cor- 
rected. These manly qualities and nol>le impulses were mar- 
shaled on the field of conflict by the l)ugle of action. Danger 
could not intimidate him, friends could not divert him from a 
sublime purpose, enemies could not \vithst;uid him, and de- 
spondency could not unman him. Few men have lived upon 
the face of the earth who have presented such a wonderful and 
harmonious combination of superior traits of character. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 285 



Added to these charms of prodigious intellectual and (ex- 
ecutive power, the felicities of his domestic relations shone 
with extraordinary lustre al)ove the marital laxity and turbu- 
lent elements of the political sea which daslieil ahout him. 
High al)f)ve all these natural antl accjuired adornments, like a 
pilot at the helm or king swinging the sceptre of un(|uestioned 
authority, the Christain religion stood out in hold relief as the 
guide of life and the solace of a dying hed. The puny and 
silly prodigies of skeptical mediocrity may well stand ama/ed 
and bewildered before the colossal and gigantic monument 
reared by Christianity and (xod! Statesmanship gives way, 
oratory stands al)asli(Kl, culture retreats before the grander 
achievements of our holy religion on the bed of death. Here 
fame is paralyzed, atl'ection is helpless, science abortive, but 
Christ reigns and faith triumphs! Like the rising sun, reveal- 
ing the beauty and grandeur of nature before buried in dark- 
ness, religion illuminated and manifested all the traits of this 
noble man, and turns the hearts of the millions upward, even 
as the flowers which sc(!m to desire to shake hands with the 
sunbeams! 

We know that the battle-tields of the war, the hustings 
of |)()litical rhetoric, the classic oration in the councils of the 
nation, the masterly hand impressing the legislation of the 
(H)untry, all fade into insignificance before the greater splendor 
of sanctified genius. This is the -bond of sympathy thrilling 
the Slid heart of the world. The plummet sounding the grief 
of mankind to day is W\(\ faith which bound our glorious dead 
to the cross of Christ! That which })r()strates the world in 
anguish and tears is the same mysterious force which lifts our 
martyr u[) towartl (jodi Virtue is now the mother of grief. 
We mourn the loss of the embodied good which Christianity 
put into the life of one man. Like the weary traveler, view- 
ing the variegated landscape from some lofty eminence, so the 
world to-day looks upon the nuinifold virtues of this man from 
the high altitude of his piety. While science attempts in vain 



286 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



to keep his fluttering heart in motion; while ambition halts 
and reels at the mouth of an open grave; while affeetion 
would warm the chilling life-current, only to I)e mocked by the 
steathy, silent tread of the Destroyer, faith in God towers 
above the wreck and bridges the narrow stream between time 
and eternity! An empire of men is exchanged for the empire 
of God. Kings and Presidents drop the glittering appendages 
of oflice when they enter that realm. They are simply men, 
saved by the grace of God. How exalted is that manhood 
which can bow down from the highest stations of earth and 
with the reverent meekness of childlike faith and simplicity 
drink in the consolation of Christ's gospel! 

Beside this monument of our grief the young should 
sto}) in the mad and exciting whirl of life. They will here 
learn that industry, even without genius, is i)referable to great 
talent without energy. They will also learn that permanent 
distinction is obtained only by slow and regular approaches, 
and that the strictest integrity is the seal of success. They 
will see that temperate hal)its and self restraint are always the 
necessary prerequisites of the highest manhood. Reverence 
and respect for parents is another trait which cannot be dis- 
regarded. Above all, however, they will learn that religion 
adorns the most gigantic intellects, and that without this the 
highest type of man is imperfect and untrue to the require- 
ments of his Creator. 



AMBITION. 



fLMOST ANYTHING may ac([uir(! ohhxpiy from associ- 
tion. The brightest pearl when thrown into the mire 
— • must l)e washed to bring back its original luster and 
brilliancy. The bad company into which the word ambition 
has been forced by the usages of society has so far smirched 
its character that few will patiently listen to anything said in 
its favor. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 287 



In ;i genenil sense, anihition means an inordinate desire tor 
preferment and honor; but in a restricted and legitimate sense 
it may l)e detined a desire to excel, an ardent wish for superior 
attainments and the use of equitable and honoralde means to 
secure this end. Wel)ster says, "It is thus used in t", good 
sense; as emuhition may spring from a laudable ambition." 

Motive is the criminal l)ehind the throne of individual 
power. The man who seeks honor for its own sake mistakes 
the honorable qualities of life. Such a one will be careless of 
the means employed to etlect his purpose; and secondly, power 
when attained will be selHshly used to bolster his unsanctiiied 
pretensions. A dual wrong is thus perpetrated. Mis consci- 
entiousness is blunted, stifled and hampered by unholy aspira- 
tions, and his tyrannical assumption of doubtful prerogatives 
deprives others of their legitimate rights. 

Therefore, if a man is ambitious to excel he should pray- 
erfully analyze his motives, lest his ambition timl conquests in 
the downfall of others. The elevation of the eagle when it 
costs the life of a sparrow means a great deal to the modest den- 
izen of the hedgerow. There are two varieties of this species 
of amliition, i)oth alike reprehensible, but not alike dangerous. 
One is the outspoken I)ut honest bugle l>Iast of self-seeking, 
which comes like the mountain torrent, visible to all, while the 
other, seeking the same end, is cunning, wily, hitlden, like the 
subterranean volcanic fires, smothered and pent up and only 
known by indistinct mutterings. Wire-pulling is always the 
haltiM' dangling from this cross-beam. The aml)ition which 
gil)bets its victim or hides the dagger beneath the mantle of its 
charity is from the pit. It is the legitimate descendant and 
heir at law of him who, too wise for instruction, too great for 
subjection and too pompous for dictation, was hurled from the 
highest altitude of glory to the lowest depths of infamy and 
shame. 

Piut there is an ambition which is commendable, and which 
should be earnestly sought. It is that which incites to thought. 



288 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



spurs to uctioii, investigates the past, hopes for the future, and 
devel()})S the latent })()vvers within. Tliis anil)ition will always 
regard the process of eon(|uest as far above the throne of at- 
tainment. The man who rinds his highest happiness in the ar- 
duous work of climbing, rather than corajilacent satisfaction 
in the dizzy heights gained, will always be an absolute gain to 
the struggling sea of humanity looking upward for the stimu- 
lus of a noble example. He is to mankintl what the loving- 
help of a fond mother is to her dependent child. He is the 
pioneer of every industry, the sentinel of every conquering le- 
gion, the harbinger of every advancement, the forlorn hope of 
every scientific achievement. He cares nothing for the honors 
of success, but everything for duty. The higher his altitude 
the grander his survey of surrounding objects; and this is the 
inspiring motive of his career. Like the sentinel of Columbus, 
stationed at the masthead and peering through the darkness, 
he feels no thrill of pride at his elevation above the yawning 
billows of the?teep, so intent is he looking for land! The ton- 
ic of discovery is above gold and silver. 

It is this which digs the grave of every etiete system and 
l)uil(ls the monument of every achievement. On every pillar 
in the tem})le of science the chastened and laudable ambition 
of the world's heroes has written their indelible eulogium with 
the pencil of quenchless fire! Who will say this ambition is 
not needed in the church? While there were palaces to cap- 
ture and Ciesars to conquer, Paul could not rest. Moved by 
the undying ardor of a holy ambition, he flung the gaimtlet of 
battle to the hosts of hell. Scorning the golden step?, of world- 
ly pr«'ferment, he chose to rattle the chains of the dungtion ra- 
ther, than vaunt the gaudy titles of the Jewish hierarchy. 
To him life was more than meat. It was a link binding two 
eternities. Whatever will elevate us in the mind of the eter- 
nal Father constitutes the basis of a true aml)iti()n; while all 
other motives will I)ecome fagijots of destruction in the great 
contlaofration. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 289 



Li't us cullivak' tlio triK- aiid al)lu)r tUo false. Tlic laii- 
guisliiiig iiuli)lcnco of clofical ilotanls calls for a speedy resur- 
rection. Will nothing move tlieni^ Shall the tloeks l)e devour- 
ed l)y wolves l)ecausi' the shepherds are asleep^ Shall the green 
pastures of progressive thought be turned into the hlistering 
wastes of Sahara? Let the foul stagnation of past inactivity 
be swept by the healthtui breezes of Galilee! 




,, ITH THE President giving tive kinds of wine to each 
guest at State dinners, and the Vice President author- 
izing the sale of drinks at the Shorcham for a license 
consideration; with two saloons running in the Capitol building, 
and political platforms favoring 'temperance and morality'' at 
the same time, we are about in as nmch danger of getting pro- 
hibition in this country, as a saloon bummer is of dying sober, 
while sucking whisk}' through a rye straw from the bunghole 
of a barrel of Jeraeij lightning! 



LOKD'8 I)7VY EXCURSIONS. 

^(^^ IN IS IjIKE leaven, peiustrating, rising! The whole 
}^y^ lump is very nearly leavened when professors of C'hrist's 
^^^ gospel can coolly and deliberately organize excursions, 
run them on the Lord's day, pocket tlu*^ proceeds, and with a 
benignant smile of complacent satisfaction soothe their undis- 
turbed consciences with the consolation that it has all been for 
the glory of God! Breaking the law of God for money; 
hauling the people to places of amusement and recreation, that 
they may hav(^ fun and frolic under the thin disguise of wor- 
ship, is getting al)()ut as near the limits of perdition as men 
usually get, until like unfaithful Kli, they break their necks 
outright. 

19 



290 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



What is the difference between this ab()niinal)lc sacrilege 
and the selling of indulgences which disgraced the Papacy of 
the sixteenth century? Then men could buy the privilege to 
sin for a consideration from the ecclesiastics reeking with cor- 
ruption and mercenary greed. The Pope sanctioned these dis- 
graceful indulgences on the ground that they replenished his ex- 
chequer. Now the Lord is detied, his law violated, corjjora- 
tions encouraged to sin, poison the pul)lic mind and blast the 
hopes of free America through this engrafted scion of German 
rationalism; and all that sinners may sin, pay their moneys for 
the indulgrence, and then Protestant ecclesiastics, with a mar- 
velous twist of accommodating piosity, recklessly agree to de- 
vote the money to the Lord;' Another such a twist and the 
keys of St. Peter vill swing from their girdles! They can no 
longer chuckle over the inconsistencies of the pampered, well- 
fed tools of the Romish hierarchy. They themselves are guilty 
of selling indulgences, a sin that even Rome herself blushes to 
commit in open daylight. 

It pays! What of that? A theater, a horse race, a saloon 
might pay. The money would be stained with crime, and he is 
an abettor of the criminal who assists in organizing the nefari- 
ous, wretched business, that ho may swell the dimensions of his 
depleted purse. Every dollar thus secured has the ring of de- 
l)aucliery and will have the teeth of tire! It will eat as a cank- 
er, and the ashes of its disgrace will be borne on every breeze 
that crosses the pathway of life. 

These politic clergymen, with a squint toward Sinai, ex- 
claim, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy;" but with 
another squint toward the people they say, "Remember the 
Sabbath day and make money." Yet they claim to be servants 
of the Lord Almighty. Serving themselves and making mer- 
chandise of God's day and God's service, they profane the holy 
things of the temple until the Christ of God, whip in hand, 
comes in. These things cry unto God for vengeance. No 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 291 



wonder that soulless corporations despoil our Sabbaths. run reir- 
uhir trains an<l bring the United States mail to onr doors on 
the Lord's day. The embassadors of Jesus .Christ encourage 
them in it, ride on their cars and in effect tell tlicm and the 
world that these stupendous sins are national virtues. The 
whole nation from its highest odicer down is being silently but 
really honey-coml)ed with the avenues of sin, lioles of iniquity, 
bandages of vice; and very soon it will be exceedingly danger- 
ous for the young child to play near this den of the cockatrice. 

Instead of i)eing Pauls, Elijahs and Stephens, men of God, 
sent for a purpose, and ready to declare that purpose, we are 
no longer teachers, but sheep, willing to listen to the voice of 
strangers, and walk with our eyes open to the very den of the 
lion. We must distinguish between right and wrong and set- 
tle these questions on the basis of eternal right; take the velvet 
out of our mouths — and tobacco too — and then the blessing of 
Almighty Ood will attend us. We must stop parleying with 
the devil, looking wistfully over the fence and plucking the 
forbidden fruit to test its quality. 

No wonder spirituality dies, ol)edience to God takes wings, 
mercenary greed supplants sacritice, pride usurps humility, 
frolic takes the place of prayer, gonnandizijig destroys fasting, 
worldlincss professes to be religion when professed ministers of 
Christ control the engine which bears this train of demoraliza- 
tion. like an angel of death, through the churches! Need the 
world stand aghast as it i)eh()lds the poor, helpless sheep, driven 
to destruction when the shepherds lead the way^ lilind lead- 
ers of the blind, they do not sec tiie destruction awaiting them. 
Their sins cry unto heaven and retril)ution must assuredly come. 
If onl}' the leaders in evil were punished it would not seem so 
lamentable; but thousands who receive these edicts of iniquity 
as the law of God from their leaders are plunging into the 
same hideous, starless night. Let these guilty souls l)egin to 
examine their moorings. 



292 GOLDEN GL^ANtNG^. 



JEALOUSY. 

EALOUSY .AND pride nre twin hrotlKM-s. They are so 
nearly allied that the distinetions made between them, 
are more nominal than real. Pride actuated Satan in 
his rel)ollion against God, hut was he not jealous too? In look- 
ing at the parentage of this vice we learn its disreputable char- 
acter. We would expect the child of Satan to partake of the 
nature of its sire. A disposition to underrate the worth, char- 
acter, and work of others, is one of the lowest and meanest 
propensities of an unsanctified heart, and the man who indul- 
ges it developes a much Avorse condition of heart than is to be 
found in those whom he disparages. Jealousy is frequently the • 
outgrowth of disappointment. Men set a wrong estimate on 
their own al)ilities, and because others fail to concur in their 
judgment, they become sullen and morose, and seek to inflict 
injury upon those who have been more successful than 
they. 

These mutterings — like smouldering volcanic tires — betray 
the coming eruption. Springing from the fiies of an unchas- 
tened ambition, they are always ready to burst forth on the 
slightest provocation, and carry death and destruction in their 
path. Jealousy sometimes acts as a pioneer. It goes l)efore 
what is intended to follow after. It carefully prepares the 
way for the war chariot of iron. Approaching a doid)tful man, 
it trims and hesitates, punctures and binds up, until fully as- 
sured that the right man is found, and then it begins to relate 
its suspicions about its intended victim. Seeing there is dan- 
ger of going too far and injuring its own cause, it hesitates to 
stammer out some good qualities which the man undergoing 
dissection is suppose^ to possess; thinking, we presume, that 
oaths, interlarded with a generous su[)ply of aniens, will not 
be obnoxious to God. Tliis reminds us of sugar-coating pills 
to disguise the nauseating ingredients. It is varnishing men- 



ccinj:A uj iwiAJAus. 293 



lal ixarbage to make it palalalilo. The crt'cct. howover. is not 
changed by a gilded exterior. After all it is not so much 
what men say which indexes their character as what they mean. 
If we mean to put a l>rotlier down, it matters very little as to 
how we accomplish our sinister })urpose. the al)ominal)le sin is 
to be found in the will to commit the awful i\(^oA. If our steel 
has been wrapped in the finest silk, that fact has not Idunted 
the keenness of the edge. Though our words may be coined 
in the mint of faultless rhetoric, they may let blood like the 
sharpest rapier. The l)eauty of the serpent is no safe-guard 
against its poision. Jealousy glories in ambuscades. Her 
trumpet is not heard in the din of liattle. I)ut her poisoned 
spear is unsheathed in the solitude of some ([uiet fireside, llcr 
l)anner is hypocris}', her shield confidence, and her weapon 
slander. We should look out for the creeping, crawling ver- 
min of the pit. First, we should look into our own hearts. 
Do we rejoice as much in the prosperty and position of others 
as we do in our own':? Do we rejoice when others succeed, 
and are we sorry when they fail^ Are we free from the (ies- 
picable bigotry and puffed up conceitedness which imagines 
nothing well d(me unless our own hand has put the finishing 
touch on? If we are guilty of the sins here recounted, there 
is room for improvement. Again, we should l)e on the look- 
out for the peripatetic fault-finder. The man who has no l)et- 
ter business than finding fault with everything ami everybody 
is constantly casting reflection on the wisdom of (xod. For, 
had the Divine P)eing known the pre-eminent fitness of this in- 
dividual to run things in the right groove, he would certainly 
have given him the contract of wholesale managenu'nt. r>ut 
God, who is infinitely wise, did not see it in that light, and 
therefore the fault-finder, and not God, is mistaken. These 
jealous men will come to you with whispered suspicions of 
others, and especially those who occupy positions — as they sup- 
pose — above them. They will say some sweet things in order 
to introduce the l)itter. Instead of listening ijuietly and pa- 



294 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



tiontly to these disatlected ones, would it not he far hettev to 
rehidvc them sharply, and point them to the atoning blood, 
where this foul blot may be washed away^ 



SOCIALISM. 



T IS HELD by the adherents of socialism that it is an in- 
termediate position between simple co-operation and com- 
-^ munism. It is claimed that pure socialism does not ad- 
vocate the abolition of property like communism, but that it 
would prevent the entailment of property, abolish the rights 
of primogeniture, and enforce a social reform in society by 
which the burdens would be equalized. All would then have 
an e<|ual start in the race of life, smce all fortunes accumula- 
ted ))y thrift, energy and economy Avould pass to the state at 
death. It is supposed that the apparent conflict l)etween lal)or 
and capital would be entirely obviated by this process, and so- 
ciety, freed of its hardships and its vices, would rise to a 
healthier, purer atmosphere, where the greed of selfishness 
and the cruelty of oppression would be entirely unknown. 
These ideas are not novel as thej may seem. Suflering has 
always l)cen prolific in producing supposed remedies. The ef- 
forts of the Roman Gracchi to enfranchise their captives and 
restore the lands of the plel)eians was one of the first strokes 
on behalf of this system. Still, we think that in its internal 
workings the s^'^stem proposed ])y the noble Gracchus difl'ers 
largely from the indefinite and subtile visions of modern the- 
orists. During the darkness of the middle ages nothing is 
heard of this social panacea. During the Keformation these 
ideas came to the surface again, and in the great conflict of 
religious factions the turbulent and innate friction of socialis- 
tic tendencies found their appropriate culmination in the dis- 
graceful scenes of the Munster revolution. With the French 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 295 



revolution, socialism :i<;aiu cunic to the front. Tliroui^li all that 
stormy perit)il the discussion of social science was thrown as a 
tire-brand and disturbing element of the })iiblic peace into near- 
ly all the homes of France. And it is a most significant phase 
of the iiistory of that period that the espousal of socialism and 
inlidelity were almost synonymous terms. The socialist Babcuf 
scattered his doctrines all throu<rh France from 17(54 to 1797, 
so that the whole social fabric was thoroughly impregnated 
with his idealistic schemes. His system originated with the 
professed equality attained in the P'rench revolution, and found 
expression in the maxium, ''All men have nearly the same fac- 
ulties and the same needs; they ought, consequently, to have 
the same education and the same food." In 1829, a man by 
the name of Bayard gave a series of lectures on the subject, 
which attracted great attention. His lectures were based prin- 
cipally upon the doctrines taught by Saint Simon, a political 
economist, of l)rilliant but erratic parts, who by luxurious liv- 
ing, had become suddenly poor, and then, to revive his failing 
fortunes, divorced his own wife and proposed to the gifted 
Madame De Stael, only to be refused and again remanded back 
to his well merited poverty. Another leader by the name of 
Eufantin rose about this time, and he. in connection with Bay- 
ard, sought to revive and den'.onstrate the system of Saint Si- 
mon. One of the prominent tenets of the s^^stem as taught by 
these men was opposition to and deliverance from the fancied 
thraldom which Christianity had introduced and sanctioned. 
Here we learn that the very founders of the socialistic reform, 
as it is termed, deemed Christianity and their ideas as incom- 
patilde. Bayard and Eufantin soon (piarreled. and Bayard re- 
tired from public notice, while Eufantin led the way into such 
abominable extravagances and tinancial dilHculties that the 
more conservative became disgusted and the system for the time 
being collapsed. A kind of socialism has been practically tested 
by the experiments of Fourier near Versailles, and it has also 
been tried in Brazil. The only lessons learnetl thus far have 



296 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



revealed socialism as a clangeroiif? fermenting cause of disturh- 
ance and idleness. It is based upon false ideas of life, it 
would remove the only incentive men could have to acquire 
property, and then, through the hands of interested and grasp- 
ing ofBcials, bequeath to the indolent and thriftless the un- 
earned bribe of their laziness, only to keep alive their abomina- 
tions from generation to generation. Doubtless there is a great 
deal more of selfishness in the world than there ought to be, 
l)ut we cannot see how the transplanting of this principle from 
one phase of society to another can alter or change the defects 
of governments into virtues. The assumptions of princely for- 
tunes would only Ije changed for the exactions of princely 
knaves. It would l)e a change of masters but not of condition. 
The royal nod of the millionaire would give way to the howl of 
the mob and cries for blood. The socialistic tendencies of 
Germany and the nihilism of llussia are finding their legitimate 
expression in seeking to rid the world of rulers by the assas- 
sin's bullet. The fundamental structure of society can never 
be changed without violence and bloodshed. The visionary 
theories propagated by the peaceful mediums of newspapers, 
convention rhapsodies, and enthusiastic puff-balls will have no 
more etlect toward the practical demonstration of this theory 
than a child casting flowers from the suspension l)ridge of Ni- 
agara, will have toward arresting the boiling waters. We may 
as Avell open our eyes to the fact that such revolutions are never 
effected without blood. If socialism ever succeeds in this coun- 
try, it will be through a reign of terror as awful as that which 
left its sickening scars on the tablet of France. More than 
this. The past history of the system justifies the suspicion 
that the triimiph of socialism means the persecution of Chris- 
tians and the attempted extirpation of religion. The allied ef- 
forts of German rationalism point unerringly to this conclusion. 
We should studiously avoid and sincerely distrust every inno- 
vation proposing reform which discards fealty to God and his 
word as one of its cardinal features. 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 297 



THE STKEXCiTH OF OUR COUNTRY. 

^Tpf<//?E APPREHEND that the 8ine\v!^ of our nation;il 
o 1^'' po^^'^i' ^I'c wot to be found in our long extended lines 
of sea coast; nor the wonderful area and fertility 
of productive soil, stretching from ocean to ocean and from 
the lake-chain of the north to the waters of the gulf in the 
south. Nor are they in the scientitic and mechanical achieve- 
ments which have roused America, as a sleeping giant, to 
grapple the rude elements of nature, and create the most ex- 
quisite forms of l)eauty. Nor are they in our mighty cities, 
our commerce, our schools, our printing houses, the influx of 
foreign blood; but al)ove all, and beyond, all. they are the 
immortal principles of true government, girdling the pillars of 
human freedom, and tlashinof into the sunshine of historic liffht 
from the ])lood of revolution. 

Religious liberty is one of the majestic pillars upon which 
depends the hope of the future. No popular government can 
long survive the extinction of this sacred l)oon. It recognizes 
the right of God to our adoration, and the right of men to lib- 
erty. It unites these two principles in the bonds of wedlock 
at the altar of civil government, and flings the benediction of 
protection over the solemn contract. The nation striking down 
this right is either a mob or a despotism. It is the cry of ven- 
geance or the shriek of despair. Fanaticism unlocks this thun- 
derbolt, or the treml)ling purple of debased royalt}' hides this 
dagger in the sheer cowardice of abject fear. The guillotine, 
the rack and the stake make no converts. These are the mis- 
sionaries of death, with tongues tipped with fire and blood. 
They find no responsive echo in the human heart; no sleeping 
angel, which only the touch of love can wake; no silent harp, 
from which none liut the; hand of allection can evoke the thril- 
ling melody of a blessed l)rotherhood. 

Early in our history our fathers saw the granite l)afee nec- 
essary in rearing the superstructure of government. With in- 

20 



298 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



finite toil they hewed the massive block from the moanttiin of 
God, and surrounded with almost Sinaitic fires, thunderings, 
clouds and tempest, they prayed that the divine finger might 
trace the law of heaven upon the humble altar reared amid the 
awful solitude of the wilderness! There it stands still! Moss- 
covered and venerable, it is yet intact. The forests have melt- 
ed away, the Indian war-whoop dies in the hazy mists of west- 
ern skies, populous towns dot the hillsides, cultivated fields, 
bending orchards, luxuriant gardens, teeming life, everywhere 
cluster about this movement of truth, and crown it with the 
twin garlands of industry and happiness. 

The most liberal theological opinions skim the surface of 
religious thought like half-drowned sea-gulls, panting for the 
life-giving, salted elixir of their sea-home; hardened skeptics, 
denying God and common sense, stalk through the land like 
perambulating pest-houses, receiving the reward of iniquity in 
munificent gifts of gold. The press unshackled and free from 
the surveillance of a state church, belches forth a torrent of 
blasphemy, obscenity or truth, as instinct or education may 
dictate; but the very law which permits the wrong also protects 
the right, and what seems a great injustice in unbridling and 
licensing the worst passions of the human heart is seen to 
be the shield which protects the voice of prayer. Silence In- 
gersoll and the shade of Jetferson would rise, and cheap mar- 
tyrs would multiply with protean fecundity. Let him alone! 
The dumb silence of a dazed auditory is the best answer the 
world can give her unfortunate idiots! The strength of the 
ship of state is only seen when we behold her grandly breasting 
these ice-floes, with banners proudly flying and moving on to 
the music of chiminsj bells and "Hold the Fort.'' 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 299 



INDEX. 



WAR LYRICS. 

PAGE. 

The Fall of Sumter - - 7 

Our Country's Call - - - - 8 

Columbia Forever - - - 9 

Hail Freedom's Dawn - - - - 10 

Epitaph of Jefferson Davis - - - 10 

Tear Down the Flag - - - - 11 

Peace - - - 12 

The Battle of Franklin - - - - 13 

The Death of Birney - - - 15 

Dirge of Lincoln - - - - 16 

The Immortal Dahlgren - - - 17 

Columbia's Pride - - - 20 

Under the Sod - - - - 21 

HUMOROUS AND SATIRICAL. 

Mistakes of Moses - - - - 21 

The British Martyr - 27 

The New Firm - 2 s 

Out West - - - - 32 

On Hearinfj Birds Sinsr in a Saloon 34 

Farewell Parson - - - - 37 



300 GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 



PAGE. 

The Knight of the Weed - - - 39 

Something to Balance the Grist - - 41 

MORAL AND RELIGIOUS. 

New Year Reveries - - - - 43 

Time ----- 46 

Not Now - - - - - 49 

The Last of the Modocs - - - 50 

Tnl)ute to Elder A. Wiley - - - 53 

Jesus Maketh Thee Whole - - - 55 

To-morrow - - - - - 57 

To My Mother - - - - 59 

The Feast of Death - - - - 62 

The Fruitless Fig Tree . - - 66 

Sinai - - - - - 69 

The Christmas Gift - - - 71 

Sweet Home - - - - - 73 

Rest - - - - - . 75 

The World's Hope - - - - 77 

Death of E. H. Thomas . . - 78 

A True Dream of Fifty Years - - - 80 

The Dying Child's Adieu . - - 84 

Farewell - - - - - 86 

The Natural Bridge - - - 87 

The Lacking Heart - - - - 89 

Laying of Corner Stone - - - 90 

The God of Love - - - - 94 

Death - - - - : 95 

A Brand from the Burning - - - 97 

The Treasure of Horeb - - - 120 

Two Graves - , - - - 123 

Paul's Victory - - - - 125 

Resurrection Hymn - - - - 127 

The Plains - - - - 128 



GOLDEN GLEANINGS. 301 



MISCELLANEOUS. 

PAGE. 

National Hymn - - - - 130 

Death of Garfield - - - - 131 

Tril)iitG to Grant - - - - 133 

Kate Shelley - - - - 135 

The Waiting Wife - - - - Ul 

The Exodus to the Free North - - 144 

Tribute to Bryant - - - - 147 

The Drunkard's Song - - - 150 

Homeless - - - - - 151 

We all but Live to Die - - - 153 

Thanksgiving Poem, 1880 - - . - 155 

Grit ----- 159 

The Hour Cometh - - - - 168 

The Dead Stranger - - - 170 

Annie and I - - - - - 172 

That Moonlight Ride - - - 174 

From Eulogy on John B. Gough - - - 175 

The Man Behind the Bar - - - 179 

Opening Sermon . - - 191 

Conscience as a Guide - - - 213 

Iowa to the Front, 1882 - - - 233 

The origin of the Church of God - - 236 

What is Scriptural Sanctilication - - - 253 

To our Unknown Dead - - - 268 

Aml)ilion - . . . . 286 

Lord's Day Excursions - - 289 

Jealousy - - - - - 292 

Socialism ... 294 

The Strength of Our Country - - 297 










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